Poll Shows Over 90 Percent Want Legal Online Gambling

June 04, 2009 | News Category: Gaming Law

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A few days ago, U.S. News & World Report carried a debate between Barney Frank and Spencer Bachus regarding the regulation of online gambling. At the end of the debate, readers were invited to take part in an interactive poll.

Barney Frank is a Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Frank has recently presented bills in connection with the legalization and regulation of Internet gambling. Spencer Bachus is a Republican hailing from Alabama, and is a ranking minister of the House Financial Services Committee. Bachus is vehemently opposed to the legalization and regulation of online gambling.

Frank and Bachus both shared their opinions regarding online gambling, presenting their reasons for and against the issue.

Frank explains that the law should not be used to impose the beliefs of one person on those of another, as long as their personal behavior causes no harm to others. He notes that in cases such as robbery, murder, arson and fraud, amongst others, perpetrators should be harshly prosecuted. Frank notes that to outlaw any activity because a small percentage of adults may become addicted to it, or some underage players may manage to play makes no sense. Those who have gambling addictions will find a way to feed their addictions whether online gambling is legalized or not. By legalizing and legislating online gambling, players can be protected and those needing help can seek it, which cannot be done if it is simply banned.

Bachus raises concerns of underage gambling, addiction, possible bankruptcy for players because they lose perception of the value of cash when using a credit card to top up their accounts. Bachus notes concerns regarding the fact that much of the online gambling that would take place would be offshore gambling, which cannot therefore be regulated by the United States, could be cause for concern when it comes to money laundering and other criminal activities.

The question posed to readers was "Should online gambling be legalized?" At this time, the results of the poll show that 90.69% believe that online gambling should be legalized, and 9.31% feel that it should not be legalized. Although the poll is not a scientific study, it certainly seems to indicate that the overwhelming majority of US citizens would prefer the option of legalized online casinos, as opposed to prohibiting them.

In the comments posted after the article, MW of AL posted a famous quote from Abraham Lincoln, in which Lincoln says "Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."