House fails to pass Internet gambling ban, new vote expected

WASHINGTON -- A House effort to ban many forms of gambling on the Internet won a majority of the vote Monday but failed to get the two-thirds majority required for passage.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia, said he expects it to be returned to the floor soon under rules that require a simple majority for passage.

By a vote of 245 to 159, a majority of members in the House backed the bill supported by an unusual coalition of Christian groups, Las Vegas casino owners, convenience store operators and major sports leagues.

Supporters needed 270 votes for passage.

The bill targets the more than 700 gaming sites on the Internet that generate over $1 billion in bets annually. After a hard-fought lobbying effort, three sports that encourage betting won exemptions -- horse racing, dog racing and Jai Alai, a game similar to handball that is popular in Latin America. These sports would be exempted from the proposed legislation because they have long used phone lines to carry out parimutuel betting, in which gambling is conducted from a remote location.

Outlawed would be the growing number of Web sites that offer casino style games, betting on college and pro sports, and ticket sales from state-run lotteries.

Some supporters of on-line gaming want to legalize and regulate "cyber casinos." They say the House bill will force Web site operators and their profits to take their businesses overseas.

Opponents of Internet gambling have various reasons for disliking it: Church groups oppose betting on moral grounds; Nevada hotel owners worry about losing visitors to their expensive casinos; convenience stores don't want lottery ticket customers to buy their tickets from home; and sports leagues generally oppose betting altogether.

"In states like Nevada, the gaming industry is well regulated, and its activities are tightly monitored. However, allowing gambling to be allowed on the Internet would open the floodgates for corruption, abuse and fraud," said Rep. James A. Gibbons, R-Nevada, during floor debate.

The bill encourages Internet service providers to block gambling sites but does not "require" them to do so. It imposes penalties on those who operate illegal gaming sites but not on those who use them.

A similar bill passed the Senate late last year, but because of concerns over the exemptions the Justice Department may recommend President Clinton veto the bill.

Monday, July 17, 2000

• House fails to pass Internet gambling ban, new vote expected
  
• Senate poised to vote on marriage penalty tax cut
  
• Gore rallies troops at Nashville headquarters; Bush hints news of a running mate
  
• Hillary Clinton says anti-Semitic slur 'did not happen'
  
• Poll: Gore closes gap against Bush
  
• Clinton Administration announces new cyber security proposals
  
• Georgia Sen. Coverdell undergoes surgery for cerebral hemorrhage
  
• Robb polls even with Allen in Virginia's Senate contest
  
• CBO more than doubles U.S. 10-year surplus outlook
  
• latimes.com: Convention protests loom as defining test for Los Angeles police
  
• Gore is Democratic Party's Nixon, says Gingrich
  
• Judge accuses White House of withholding information in e-mail case
  
• Former Starr spokesman takes stand in contempt trial
  
• House approves procedure for fund raising stamps
  
• U.S. states should control education, Hastert says
  
• Lawmaker wants U.S. ban on palm-sized guns
  
• New York's Pataki in the mix as possible Bush running mate
  
• Administration proposes updated wiretapping laws
  
• Lott wants Senate energy bill before year end
  
• Small fire smolders at White House, quickly put out
  
• Clinton announces $50 million for Alzheimer's research
  
• A week later, Mideast summit 'slogs' on
  

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