KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasHouse Bill Would Lift Ban on Internet Betting
LAS VEGAS - It's been debated for years, but could legalized and regulated Internet gambling in the United States soon become a reality? U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (Massachusetts-D) is pushing a bill to lift the federal ban on Web betting, and the idea is gaining support in Nevada.
Read the Internet Gaming Regulation Bill
Harrah's Entertainment is a major advocate of lifting the ban. "Millions of Americans are gambling online every day to an estimated $15 billion," said Harrah's Entertainment Communications and Government Relations Senior Vice President Jan Jones. "All of that money and tax revenue is going overseas to foreign operators."
UNLV Center for Gaming Research Director David Schwartz believes Nevada could cash in if it became a hub for Internet gambling. "(If) the Nevada-based companies get in and are successful, I think it would be good for the economy," he said. "You would have more revenue coming in and some jobs created too."
UNLV professor Kathryn LaTour has researched the social impacts of Internet betting. She feels bettors would be safer if Internet wagering was regulated.
Read Dr. LaTour's Study on Internet Betting
LaTour says several reports indicate some online sites right now are taking more of their share than the gambler. "I think it would definitely benefit the gambler for legalization, because they'd be more protected by what's going on," she said.
Critics, however, believe legalizing online gambling could decrease the number of visitors to Las Vegas.
Jones disagrees. She argues the World Series of Poker wouldn't be as popular as it is today without online poker sites. "Ten years ago, we were taking poker rooms out of all of our casinos," she said. "Today, poker is one of the biggest drivers to visitation to the Las Vegas Strip."
"As online play became more popular in 2003, 2004, 2005, the play in Nevada actually went up and really sky-rocketed," Schwartz said.
Supporters hope the online gaming ban is lifted, and history repeats itself. "I think the gaming company has to understand that our growth vehicle is the Internet," Jones said.
The bill has already passed the House Financial Services Committee. From there, it goes to the full House. A vote, so far, has not been scheduled.
