Lawmaker to Push for Repeal of U.S. Web Gambling Ban

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 6, 2009 - 9:27am.

Washington - Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, this week reiterated his plans to introduce a bill that would repeal the U.S. ban on Internet gambling. "I'm going to be pushing it," Frank told reporters on Thursday, according to Reuters, after a spokesman for the lawmaker said in late February that a bill would be introduced within a month.

It has been estimated that the U.S. could reap $52 billion in ten years from regulation and taxing of online gambling.

The 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act has created waves overseas, where U.K.-based Web gambling firms lost billions when they were forced to lock out U.S. customers, as well as in Antigua, which won a complaint against the U.S. over its policy at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Reuters notes that the European Commission is also investigating potentially unfair U.S. policies on Internet gambling, and "is expected to release a report soon saying it has grounds to take action at the WTO."

http://snipurl.com/da4qe (Ars Technica)