Tell your Representative to Oppose Online Gambling Ban!

Congressman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) is circulating a letter to his House Speaker John Boehner urging him to oppose any attempt to ban online gambling in the lame duck session. C4L members should contact their Representatives and tell them to sign on to LoBiondo’s letter. The text of the letter is below:

The Honorable John Boehner

Speaker of the House

United States Capitol

Washington, DC  20515

Dear Speaker Boehner:

We write to voice our strong opposition to H.R. 4301, the “Restoration of America’s Wire Act” and urge you to refrain from supporting or scheduling a vote on this legislation in any fashion.  We particularly hope you will oppose any effort to move this bill during the current “Lame Duck” session without any debate or open legislative process.

The clear intent of the legislation is to overturn the decisions of nearly a dozen states that have legalized and regulated online gaming and lotteries.  At least three states — New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada — have legalized and regulated online gaming for residents of their states.  While other states are considering similar moves, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota and Virginia have approved some version of online gaming, online poker or online lottery products.

Throughout the history of the United States, the issue of gambling has been governed at the state level allowing states like New Jersey to choose gaming while others like Utah and Hawaii have not.  The Restore Our Wire Act will greatly expand the federal role in determining the gambling decisions of the states.  We believe this bill dangerously undermines the federal-state relationship established in the Tenth Amendment and opens the door for further federal encroachment in the future.

While we may each have different opinions about allowing gaming in our home states, we are united in agreement that states should retain the power to make the decisions best suited for their residents.

We hope you understand the dangers associated with the legislation and urge your opposition to moving it forward. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,