(NNPA)—Recently, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb published a column discussing what he claims to be the “hidden dangers of online gambling.” As a Congressman representing the fourth district of Nevada, I cannot disagree with Mayor Webb more strongly. The gaming industry is the lifeblood of my state and my district, supporting our economy through thousands of jobs and creating a robust tourism industry. I know what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to gaming.
Like Mayor Webb, I too know the dangers of illegal gambling. I have read the studies and seen the reports. But the notion that somehow Congress can simply legislate this problem away by instituting an ill-advised ban on all online gaming nationwide is ridiculous.
I have heard the argument that a federal ban is needed in order to protect children and under-aged players from gambling online using their parents’ credit card.
While I am sure both Mayor Webb and I agree that children should not have access to online gaming sites, there has not been one single case of this happening in any of the three states—Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey—in which online gaming is legal. In fact, states like these that have successfully implemented regulated systems have created a much safer environment for consumers, including minors, who may currently be gaming illegally on overseas and black market sites.
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