HJC Meets Regarding Online Poker

November 16, 2007

Testimony was given on November 14th to the House Judiciary Committee, from various experts wanting to discuss the establishment of consistent enforcement policies for online gaming.

Democratic Representative Shelley Berkley, who sought legislation in conducting studies of Internet gambling, began by stating that her position in representing Las Vegas in Congress, her perspective on online gambling was an important and unique one. Having grown up in Las Vegas, being practically surrounded by gambling.

Having been immersed in the gambling atmosphere her entire life, she didn't turn out being a gambling addict, and very rarely gambled at all. She also stated that the UIGEA targets financial sectors rather than the gamers committing the illegal act. She feels the current laws have only created confusion for United States citizens who would like to wager online.

"Although some Internet gaming executives have been arrested and some of the more reputable operators have stopped doing business in the U.S., an estimated 10 million Americans are still wagering online on poker alone, and they are doing so without the benefit of the protections afforded by effective regulatory oversight," Berkley said.

Joseph H.H. Weiler, also testified in support of Berkley's views. Pointing out that the U.S. entered into the WTO agreement, initially they had the ability to exclude the industry, but did not. He testified that the U.S. government should try and comply with the WTO trade agreement instead of spending time and resources fighting it.

"A country is not obliged to give such commitments but once it does it is obliged to respect them - since other countries adjust their economies in view of such commitments and individual corporations and investors will gear their economic activities based on such commitments and [on] promise of access," Weiler said in his statement.

The most compelling testimony came from Annie Duke. She commented on how Americans should have the right to decide on their own if they wanted to gamble online or not.

“What’s at stake here is the right of individual Americans to do what they want in the privacy of their homes without the intrusion of the government. This country was among the first to embrace the idea that there should be distinct limits on the ability of the government to control or direct the private affairs of its citizens,” Annie Duke said in her testimony.