Internet gaming expected to grow to $19B business

Tuesday, March 7, 2006  

Internet gaming is expected to grow to a $19 business by 2009 but some lawmakers are determined to prevent that from happening.

Last month, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) reintroduced a bill to ban Internet gaming. He and other supporters hope the effort will succeed now that Jack Abramoff -- who lobbied against the bill in 2000 -- is out of the picture. "Jack Abramoff is not going to have his way now," Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) said, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The National Indian Gaming Association lobbied against the measure because it carved out an exception for states and state-licensed Internet gaming but did not recognize tribal rights. The organization plans to monitor the new bill as it makes the rounds in Congress.

The House version of the bill is H.R.4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act. There is no Senate version but Kyl plans to attach a ban on Internet gaming to lobbying reform legislation, The Wall Street Journal said.

Get the Story:
Web-Gambling Opponents Restore Old Fight (The Wall Street Journal 3/7)