Republicans seek to prohibit online gambling
Newly released Republican National Committee party platform calls for reversal of DoJ's Wire Act clarification.
The US Republican party announced its plans to prohibit online gambling should it be voted into power later this year, claiming it can “destroy families”.
In its party platform released this week, the Republican National Committee set out the ideals of the Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan campaign and described how it intends to make the internet “family friendly” if and when they win the presidential election on 6 November.
In the section entitled Renewing American Values to Build Healthy Families, Great Schools and Safe Neighborhoods the document describes how “millions of Americans suffer from problem or pathological gambling that can destroy families”.
It goes on to say that the party supports the prohibition on online gambling and calls for a reversal of the Justice Department’s clarification of the Wire Act which opened the door to state-by-state regulation.
The news comes as a blow to supporters of online gambling, particularly in those states where legislation has been on the brink of passing.
In California progress has stalled over opposition from tribal groups and, with the legislative deadline falling tomorrow, Senator Rod Wright’s egaming bill looks likely to fail this time round. Meanwhile efforts in New Jersey stalled earlier this summer and bill sponsor Senator Raymond Lesniak conceded that regulation is still some way from being signed by Republican Governor Chris Christie.
In Nevada, the only state to have begun licensing operators and service providers, online poker could be up and running by the end of the year. The state’s Governor, Brian Sandoval “ another Republican “ has been an active figure in the regulation process.
Other leading GOP members are towing a different line to that stated in the party platform. Senate Republican whip Jon Kyl is in discussions with Republican Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to finalise an online poker bill, and argues that enhanced enforcement of existing laws “ regulating egaming tightly but permitting its occurrence “ is a better way forward.
Reid and Kyl had hoped to introduce the bill this year, with attempts under way by the latter to garner support within his own party. Whether yesterday’s announcement could spell an end to those plans is unknown.
The news further muddies the water concernign the legality of online gambling, and comes after a judgment handed down by a US District Court in Brooklyn earlier this month that poker is more a game of skill than of chance, and therefore cannot be prosecuted under a federal law designed to stop organised crime related to gambling.
The ruling from Judge Jack Weinstein was made in relation to a case involving New York resident Lawrence DiCristina, who had been arrested and charged under IGBA for running a poker room in the borough of Staten Island.
Commenting on the party platform announcement, Rich Muny, vice-president of Player Relations at the Poker Players Association (PPA), said: “As we all know, the DoJ decision calls for reversing is the very one that determined that the scope of the Wire Act does not include poker. Also, as we all know, our opponents are including poker in ‘gambling’ activities they seek to ban. Some have even taken to calling the activity ‘poker gambling’.
“It is unfortunate that the authors of the plank are at odds with many House Republicans who are leading the charge for licensed and regulated online poker, but it is even worse that they are so out of touch with the actual voters. Let’s all be sure to do our part through Election Day to ensure that all lawmakers understand where the people are on this important issue.”
(Image courtesy of Mark Taylor, CPAC)