USA Regulation News Round-up

Last week USA Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) confirmed that he is preparing the necessary federal legislation to prohibit all forms of online gambling, including interstate horse racing. 

Graham told Gambling Compliance that he wants to redo the 1961 Wire Act so that it explicitly applies to the internet, as well as online poker. 

The Other Side

On the other side of the coin, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is planning to introduce legislation that would essentially stop Graham's bill from making any progress. On the other hand, Reid's bill is not expected to get passed by the senate either, making the process come to a standstill.

Illinois

In a hearing convened by the Illinois senate committee, Poker Player Alliance Executive Director John Pappas said that online gambling is happening no matter what; the federal government might as well get in in the beginning so it can have some say in the ground rules (and a cut of the revenue). 

The Other Side

In the same hearnig, Anita Bedell, the driving force against internet gambling in Illinois, spoke out against the legalization, claiming that online gamblers are more susceptible to gambling addiction 

State-by-State Lottery News 

• Colorado's gaming regulators are preparing themselves should Colorado take the plunge into online gambling, but this past week the House of Representatives approved a bill that will ban the Colorado Lottery from selling tickets online.
• Minnesota's Lottery has already been selling tickets online, but without any legislation. Now, some senators want to retroactively disallow this, which is no simple feat. 
• Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has spoken out against online lottery sales, but State Treasurer Steven Grossman has been pushing for them.