Internet Gambling: A Sketch of Legislative Proposals in the 107th Congress (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Oct. 8, 2002 |
| Report Number |
RS21275 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Charles Doyle, American Law Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
The Internet gambling bill passed by the House on October 1, 2002 ( H.R. 556 )(Reps.
Leach & LaFalce), 148 Cong.Rec. H6848, outlaws the acceptance of credit cards,
checks, electronic
transfers, and the like for purposes of illegal Internet gambling. An amended version of the language
approved by the Financial Services Committee and earlier endorsed by the Committee in
H.R. 3004 , it enlarges the coverage of the Wire Act to reach gambling-related
transmissions by satellite or microwave. It also creates a system of regulation and immunities to
ensure the enforcement assistance of financial institutions and Internet service providers. In related
legislation, a Senate bill, S. 718 (Sen. McCain), reported out by the Senate Commerce,
Science and Transportation Committee includes provisions on athletic abuse of
performance-enhancing drugs and on sports gambling. Another Senate bill, S. 3006
(Sen. Johnson), and a proposal approved by the House Judiciary Committee, H.R. 3215
(Rep. Goodlatte), rewrite the Wire Act to confirm its prohibition of illegal Internet gambling. A final
offering, H.R. 2579 (Rep. LaFalce), applies funding proscriptions to both legal and
illegal Internet gambling operations (the other bills only apply to funding related to illegal Internet
gambling).
Related CRS products include CRS Report RS20880(pdf) , Sports Legislation in the 107th
Congress ;
CRS Report 97-619(pdf) , Internet Gambling: Overview of Federal Criminal Law ; and CRS Report RS20485(pdf) , Internet Gambling: A Sketch of Legislative Proposals in the 106th Congress .
