Honorable Spencer Bachus, As the Ranking Member and Minority Leader on the House Financial Services Committee, you are duty bound to be fair and honest, putting your personal beliefs and creeds aside and review the latest facts on issues as they are now.I am a voting Republican and I am disheartened with your seemingly little knowledge of the law and technology with regards to the UIGEA, and subsequent attempts to either dilute, delay or revoke it.Although we all at some time feel pain like the good Rev. Hogan, his story is not typical. In fact, many studies that have come out since the passing of the UIGEA have shown that it is a far worse situation now than prior to the enactment of the law. Having sent the business underground, the government has ensured that only predatory types will remain in the business as the legitimate services that are being offered by honest, publicly held international corporations stay away from the US. It is with the best interest of the government to undue this law that has caused more harm than good. It has taken millions of dollars from Americans, and has not stopped the flow of money to the very companies it was designed to.
Please allow me to offer the following,
1. Age verification systems DO work.
2. GEO-Tracking Software exists and is very viable in thwarting use from an area where such activity would be deemed illegal or unwanted (China does this all the time)
3. I agree that the federal government does not have to regulate this activity, in fact, it should neither make it illegal or legal, simply leave it to the individual states to decide. By making the flow of money illegal, State lotteries have been injured financially due to the credit card companies not willing to violate an unclear law.
4. We are in violation of World Trade Organization Treaties via the GATS because of these actions, we have been sanctioned by one small island nation for a small sum of $21M annually, and have made concessions with several of our major allies, now we are faced with possible action by the European Union. This all seems like such a stupid waste of time and money to try and enforce a prohibition that is not likely to succeed.
5. The Federal government, with this law, has removed personal freedoms of American Citizens to choose what they do in their own homes, with their own money, when they choose to do so.
6. The issue of sports leagues is a non issue as most teams, organizations actually sponsor lotteries, are aware that gambling on their particular brand of sport is what helped to popularize it, and are willing to allow certain usage for fees, such as lotteries, fantasy leagues, sports talk shows, they are well aware that the point spread is what makes the game interesting for many millions of people worldwide, in fact, the NFL, MLB, HOCKEY, NBA, NCAA are complicit in illegal gambling on their respective sports, they all provide newspapers, trade magazines and wire services with injury reports, suspensions and other facts that alter the point spread so they may publish updated spreads daily, odds on winning titles, boxing, soccer games, tennis, etc, no sport is untouched by this. The EU has smartly used legitimate sports gambling services to actually alert them to what may be some inconsistencies on a particular event.
7. Update your facts about who runs thees offshore sites, and think about the influx of jobs, new business, sustainable employment here in the US at a much needed time for this that legalization would bring.
8 As with any business that exists, there are problems, just look at how well the Banks and Wall Street, Enron, Oil Companies, and many other industries have been predators on the American public which caused a worldwide collapse of the monetary system. This occurred due to lack of regulation and over site, the UIGEA is doing the same for Internet gambling.
9. When Oil Companies can hold off delivering of oil that is already on barges even by one day, they stand to make many millions of dollars on the commodities markets, this, is unfair, yet not regulated.
10. The real issues here are can we have an age verification system that is effective, can we have effective geo-tracking to block activity from states not wanting it, can we implement rules and regulations that make it difficult to have shady, unscrupulous companies operate here, can we tax the revenue generated and use it for assistance in problem gambling areas, as well as for the general fund, can we have effective over site and audits to ensure no cheating is going on, can the legitimate site help keep the integrity in sports, can the American people have their freedoms.
The in depth answer to this is Absolutely.
Your article in US NEWS and World Report dated June 4, 2009 is full of incorrect facts that you cited in the hearings 2 years ago, at which time they were incorrect. If you expect to serve the people, it is time you did so. As far a overwhelming support for the passage of the UIGEA, we all know how it was added to the Port Security bill at a very late hour with no ability for discussion, a bill, by the way which was a MUST PASS, final action of that congress. This is not a mandate, it is trickery performed by then Senator Bill Frist who was trying to appease his religious base in the hopes of their support for a future presidential run and we know where that took him. I and many millions of other Americans are watching this issue as well as H.R. 2266, H.R 2267. We want this freedom, and those who vote against it will be remembered the next time they are up for re-election, and we will vote out those that refuse to give us this basic freedom.
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