The Specific Issue
The state of Massachusetts has long talked about the need in the state for
gambling expansions as a way to offset costs and flesh out some parts of the
budget. This is not uncommon in the US right now, in fact a dozen or so US
states are currently considering land and online casino gambling as an option
for jump-starting the economy back into life and easing budgetary woes. The
difference in Massachusetts, however, is that the state government is
specifically against expansion in the industry where the online casinos are
concerned and instead plan to legalize two new land gambling venues and actually
outlaw internet gambling. A new bill in the state has a small clause within it
that would actually make internet gambling within the state a criminal offence.
That’s right, the Massachusetts government is pro gambling expansion but so
against the online casinos that the legislators are trying to make internet
gambling a felony offense punishable by as long as two years in prison and a
fine of $25,000. The only state to match these strict laws is Washington, and
they’re always criticized in the industry headlines. The intense outcry by this
latest bill though is falling on deaf ears to a large extent, Massachusetts’
House Speaker, Robert DeLeo, introduced the new gambling bill and supports
making the online casino gambling industry fully illegal in the state.
The specifics of the clause in the new 172 page legislative proposal has a
stipulation on page 123 that outlines that any player knowingly taking part in
gambling through telecommunication devices will be punished. The clause also
specifies all of the telecommunication devices such as the telephone, cellular
phones, and the internet. Which means the online casinos will soon be fully
illegal in the state, even internet poker, if this new bill passes into
legislation. |