The Internet has raised many concerns among policymakers. Among them is the
possibility that Internet gambling will spill across state and national
borders to become ubiquitous nationwide and around the world. Gambling is
regarded by many as socially undesirable or immoral, and the Internet
threatens the power of governments to control it. The National Gambling
Impact Study Commission voted unanimously to ban Internet gambling.
Internet gambling laws create a fairly serious threat that government
monitoring of the Internet will have to increase, including monitoring
of innocent, law-abiding citizens. Internet gambling laws create a choice
that few of their proponents want to face. If Internet gambling is not
outlawed, gambling may spill across state and national borders. If Internet
gambling is outlawed, surveillance of the Internet by the government may spill
into the private communications of every American.
Links:
Prohibition,
Privacy and Protection: The Real Online Gamble by Thomas Pearson,
Competitive Enterprise Institute (August 15, 2000)
Statement of Lisa S. Dean, Vice President for Technology Policy,
Free Congress Foundation before the House Commerce Committee on H.R. 3125, the Internet
Gambling Prohibition Act (June 15, 2000)
Comments? comments@privacilla.org
(Subject: Gambling)
[updated 9/18/00]
