Republican Party Says No To Online Gambling

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Over the last four years the pro online gambling lobbyists have been exerting pressure on elected representatives for support. With the presidential election later this year in the United States, the stand taken by the two main political parties would indicate whether all this lobbying has borne fruit. The first response has been clearly negative with the Republican Party manifesto clearly lashing out against online gambling.

The manifesto officially issued by the Republican National Committee at the party’s national convention in Florida was, for online gambling enthusiasts, as gloomy as the weather. The manifesto makes clear that there is no change in the perceived Republican stance on online gambling. In the section titled “Making the Internet Family Friendly”, the document is very specific in its opposition to online gambling. The document points out that millions of Americans suffer from problem or pathological gambling that can destroy families and therefore the Republican Party supports the prohibition of gambling over the Internet.

The manifesto goes on to call for reversal of the Justice Department’s decision “distorting the formerly accepted meaning of the Wire Act”, because the changed interpretation could open the door to online gambling. The Justice Department’s new interpretation was the only bright spark in the last four years that were witness to some bizarre events. The shutting down of online poker rooms on Black Friday, the New Jersey governor vetoing an online gambling bill that had been passed by the legislators and Washington repealing its online gambling act are some of them.

The Poker Players Alliance, which has been in the forefront of pressing for online gambling legislation, was quick to react to the Republican Party manifesto. Rich Muny, Vice President of Players Relations, called it a step back. He pointed out that, unfortunately, the authors of the manifesto are at odds with many House Republicans who support licensed and regulated online gambling. He went on to say that the manifesto is also out of touch with the actual voters. His message ended with the call, “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.”

The bills allowing for Federal regulation and licensing of online gambling that are pending in the House and Senate do have Republican sponsors. But they need votes from a significant section of Republican legislators if they are to be converted into law. With this manifesto that support will never materialize. What is more problematic is that the manifesto speaks about online gambling and child pornography in the same breath in its Making the Internet Family Friendly section. And this is a very sensitive issue across a wide section of American population.

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