Category Archives: Gambling

June 1, 2017 11:30 PM By Carey Codd

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BROWARD (CBSMiami) Illegal bets, tons of cash, several arrests and a couple of firearms thats what CBS4 News cameras saw Thursday night during a ride along with the Broward Sheriffs Office as they continued efforts to bust up a major illegal gambling operation in the county.

Four people are accused of keeping a gambling house and bookmaking and investigators with BSO said this case is more than a year in the making and stretches from the Dominican Republic through South Florida and into New York.

Just after 6 p.m., deputies and SWAT members descended on five different locations in northern Broward County.

Sgt. Dan Fitzpatrick walked us through several alleged illegal gambling operations. One in Pompano Beach had stacks of cash, a walk up window, a computer and lots of betting slips.

Youll receive a computer generated ticket just like this for your bet, Fitzpatrick showed us. He took Major League Baseball. He took Los Angeles.

BSO arrested a guy for running the operation. He didnt want to talk to CBS4 News.

Fitzpatrick said these types of gambling operations are becoming more prolific in the county and because its a cash-based business generally located in high crime areas, theres a high potential for violence.

Its ripe for armed robberies, shootings, which weve had several of, he explained. These places will get taken down. We had one about two minutes away from here taken down by three guys with AK-47s.

At the location, Fitzpatrick said someone inside dropped a Glock.

When the SWAT team was making entry into the location, somebody threw down a firearm right away, Fitzpatrick said.

A few blocks away in Deerfield, BSO busted three businesses in a shopping plaza on Sample Road. At one business that appeared to be a clothing store in the front, Fitzpatrick said theres a gambling operation in the back.

Based on our surveillance, if they sell any clothes at all, its very seldom, he said. We have never seen them sell any clothing.

The woman working at the store wasnt happy.

They say you were taking illegal sports bets here, a reporter asked her.

I dont want to talk about it, please, she said.

At another business, BSO showed us the gambling website open and running.

BSO hopes the busts might mean less violence on our streets.

Its just a matter of time before we have a homicide and were trying to prevent that obviously by eliminating these places, he said.

So far, BSO says theyve seized about half a million dollars in this yearlong investigation.

Investigators said theyre also going after the higher ups in this organization and they expect to take them down soon on racketeering charges.

Carey Codd is a General Assignment Reporter for CBS4 News and joined the News Team in 2005. He has covered a range of stories from cops to courts, foreclosures to features. In the past decade, Carey has covered Hurricane Katrina from New Orle...

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Exclusive: BSO Busts Several Alleged Illegal Gambling Operations In County - CBS Miami

(BANGOR, ME) May 8, 2017 The Maine Council on Problem Gambling has launched a campaign in collaboration with the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention to educate the public about the risks of gambling and provide resources to help problem gamblers.

Maine is home to two casinos, over 1,700 slot machines, a horse track, and 1,300 Maine State Lottery locations; however, this campaign also addresses other forms of gambling that arent often considered, including sports betting, bingo, office pools, online gaming, and more. Problem gambling is defined as a preoccupation with gambling and obtaining money to gamble, irrational thinking, and a continuation of the behavior despite adverse consequences.

According to the 2013 National Survey of Problem Gambling Services, an estimated 2.2 percent of Maine adults (29,242 citizens) are believed to manifest a gambling disorder. Additionally, in 2012 Maine ranked 42nd out of 50 states and the D.C. in combined lottery sales and commercial casino gaming revenues with $327.52 million reported.

While most adults can gamble responsibly, there are Mainers who are at risk and who can develop an addiction to gambling. This is a real addiction that can be similar in many ways to an addiction to substances. With this campaign, we hope to raise awareness of problem gambling and gambling addiction, and that treatment is available. Scott Gagnon, Certified Prevention Specialist and Board President at the Maine Council on Problem Gambling said.

The Maine Council on Problem Gambling advocates for prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services, which include educating residents of Maine about signs and symptoms of problem gambling, developing resources to help problem gamblers and their loved ones, training treatment professionals to provide support using evidence based practice, and supporting recovery of individuals. The MCPGs stance is that through the education of youth and adults, more individuals will be able to recognize signs of problem gambling and will know where to find help for themselves or their loved ones. Additionally, educating treatment providers will help them give worthwhile support to those affected by problem gambling.

The good news is for those who may be experiencing problem gambling, there is a network of providers in Maine with specialized training to offer treatment for a gambling disorder. There are even funds available to pay for treatment if insurance wont cover the costs. These resources are also available for loved ones who may affected by a spouse or family members problem gambling, Gagnon said.

Each of the public service announcements aim to help those in need in different ways. The first video PSA addresses risks and warning signs of problem gambling, such as spending excessive amounts of time or money gambling, using gambling to escape from problems, hiding or chasing losses, and constantly making excuses for behavior. It encourages the viewer to recognize if a loved one is suffering, and encourages them to reach to help their loved one by using a 24-hour helpline at 2-1-1, or by visiting http://www.211maine.org, a service that connects people who want to give help or get help with a full range of health and human services in their community.

The second video PSA addresses safe gambling practices, focusing on four simple steps to reduce the chances of becoming a problem gambler. These steps include the following:

Set limits on how much money you will spend on gambling.

Dont borrow money for gambling.

Dont let gambling interfere with your relationships.

Understand that youll probably lose and accept it.

Those interested in learning more about problem gambling in Maine should visit the Maine Council on Problem Gambling website at http://www.maineproblemgambling.org or send an e-mail to info@maineproblemgambling.org

If you or a loved one is a problem gambler, call our 24-hour helpline at 2-1-1, or visit http://www.211maine.org.

The Maine CDC is part of a Maine collaborative that includes the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations, the Gambling Control Board, Maine Council on Problem Gambling, ME211 and several other state and local agency partners. The Maine CDC is a gambling neutral agency that works to address the issues of problem gambling from a prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery perspective. For more information, visit http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/population-health/prevention/gambling/

The Maine Council on Problem Gambling is mission is to reduce the impact of problem gambling through advocacy, education and collaboration. The Maine Council on Problem Gambling is a gambling neutral organization. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/pg/MaineCouncilProblemGambling/about/?ref=page_internal

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Maine Council on Problem Gambling and Maine CDC Launch Campaign to Educate Public About Problem Gambling - Bangor Daily News

Do you place bets online or gamble in bookies? Tell us about your experiences. Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

Britons lost an estimated 12.6bn through gambling last year, the equivalent of almost 300 per person. Whats more, 48% of people questioned by the Gambling Commission admitted to gambling at least once in the previous month.

This comes at a time when online gambling is soaring in popularity. People can now gamble from home or while on the go without having to go to a specific venue. They can bet on football matches or games. However, according to academics we dont know enough about the effects on gambling on those who do it.

Whats more, problem gambling is estimated to cost the UK up to 1.2bn. A recent report, commissioned by charity GambleAware and written by the IPPR thinktank, has charted the costs associated with problem gambling, such as mental health services, police intervention and homelessness.

We want to hear from readers, workers, experts and those who place bets about the gambling industry. Do you gamble online or gamble in bookies? What draws you to it? Do you work in the industry? How has it changed? Do you think there should be more regulation? Share your stories and experiences with us.

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Gambling in the UK: share your experiences - The Guardian

Mary Hansen Staff Writer @maryfhansen

Expansion of gambling in Illinois is among issues the General Assembly didn't deal with before the spring session deadline Wednesday and will likely return to this summer.

The delay could be good news for a recent proposal to add Springfield to the list of six new casinos, which was not part of the original bill.

Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, said she wouldn't call the expansion bill she is lead sponsor of for a vote on thefinal day of session. The measure the Senateapproved that would allow casinos inChicago, Rockford, Danville, Lake County and the south Chicago suburbs needs further changes before a vote is taken the House, she said.

Prospects for a Springfield license looked bleak over the weekend when a House committee blocked an amendment to tack it on that was introduced by Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield.

But Mayfield said the additional license could be included if there isconsensus from the legislators who represent the capital city.

Until theyre all on the same page, we cant add them to the bill, Mayfield said.

Chris Stone, the Springfield developer and lobbyist who introduced the idea of a downtown casino, said the effort has been successful so far in ensuring that Springfield is part of the discussion moving forward.

Tax revenue from a casino with 900 positions, which Stone estimates at $25 million a year, could be used for repairs and upgrades to school facilities, the state fairgrounds and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

(The legislators) have to make sure its a good thing for their constituents, Stone said. I think that were building that case.

Questions remain for some local lawmakers.

Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez, R-Leland Grove, said shes heard from Stone and Mayor Jim Langfelder, who supports the idea, but shed like more discussion from residents.

The city is already a popular gambling spot with its abundance of video gaming terminals, and the other communities considered for a new casino license have been discussing the issue for years,noted Wojcicki Jimenez.

There are people on all sides of the issues, she said. Im glad we have more time to study it because it did seem to come out of the blue.

Many city officials have expressed support for the endeavor, with Langfelder and eight of the 10 aldermen signing a letter urging state lawmakers to approve a casino license for Springfield.

-- Contact Mary Hansen: 788-1528, mary.hansen@sj-r.com, twitter.com/maryfhansen.

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Expanded gambling on hold; adding Springfield casino still possible - The State Journal-Register

India is undertaking a comprehensive study of gambling in its current context, to determine whether or not legalization could be in the best interests of the diversenation of 1.3 billion people.

Betting on cricket is illegal in India, but the Law Commission is studying what impacts might be felt if the country reversed its 150-year-old ban on sports wagering, and is asking the public to share their gambling tales. (Image: Inquisitr)

Indias Law Commission, a group charged with thoroughly researching matters subject to legal reform, has been looking closely at how other countries regulate legal gambling, how people in India participate in illegal gambling, and the financial benefit and social concern of both legal and illegal gambling.

The three-person panel is putting together a series of papers to address concerns and understand its impact. The researchcould result in small legal reforms or a total overhaul to Indias gambling laws.

Additionally, the commission is seeking public input to share their stories and views on gambling. Included in the research also is betting, referring to sports and pari-mutuel wagers. India sees these forms of wagers as different from gambling, which covers slots and traditional casino games. But for the sake of this research, the commission said it would be impossible to assess one without considering the other.

At a minimum, the research stands to provide a rather thoroughmodel for assessingthe potential and pitfalls for betting and gambling in the 21st century.

The issue came to the fore with a match fixing scandal in the case of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vs. Cricket Association of Bihar. That trial touched on sports betting and match fixing and the Supreme Court called on the Law Commission to explore what might be different if the country looked to legalize gambling.

The Public Gambling Act of 1867 set the standard for Indias opposition to public gambling. The law that harkens back 150 years to the days of British rule. Indias constitution, however, does let states make some decisions on their own, which is why Goa, Daman, and Sikkim all have casinos.

But there are many gray areas to the law. For example, horse racing and rummy are defined as games of skill and are legal, while betting on cricket or playing poker is outlawed, except in states where its not.

The appeal for public input seeks to have several opinions and anecdotal testimony that explores both economic and social impacts of legalized gambling and betting.

Though the commission hasnt yet made specific recommendations, they did find the possibility of considering legalization as a way to minimize social harms.

Various media reports time and again point out that betting and gambling, though not legal in India, is practiced across the country clandestinely, the commission said. These reports argue that many families arerendered bankrupt and many people are behind the bars owing to these practices. Strict rules againstbetting and gambling have not necessarily acted as a deterrent.

The commission estimates that India gamblers spend $30 billion annually on illegal forms of betting and gambling that they have found to be run by cartels and gangs.

Will legalizing betting and gambling help in curbing the illegal activities undertaken by the citizens of our country in this regard? they asked. Will licensing such activities help the government earn substantial revenue and generate employment?

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India Studying Potential Impact of Gambling Legalization - Casino.org - Casino.Org News

Jeffrey Todd Spraggins arrested following raid on suspected illegal gambling business in Texarkana, TX.

Jeffrey Todd Spraggins arrested following raid on suspected illegal gambling business in Texarkana, TX.

TEXARKANA, TX - Three people are facing charges after police raid a suspected illegal gambling business in Texarkana, Texas.

Detectives arrested Jeffrey Todd Spraggins, 44, of Wake Village Texas, who is believed to be the owner of the business. The manager, Paul Dean Holmes, 69, of Foreman Arkansas, and Melissa Ellajewell Nash, 42, of Texarkana Texas, were also arrested during the raid.

It is believed that the business has been in operation for approximately one month. After learning of the gambling business last week, undercover officers went into the business and paid to play games of chance on eight-liner machines. They observed Spraggins paying patrons in cash when they won.

Spraggins was charged with Keeping a Gambling Place, Possession of Gambling Device, and Promoting Gambling. Holmes charges include Possession of Gambling Device and Promoting Gambling. Nash was charged with Gambling.

The motherboards of the eight-liner machines and an undisclosed amount of cash at the business were seized during the raid.

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Three arrested in gambling business raid - Story - KTAL

Adam set his alarm for 3 a.m., when he knew his parents would be fast asleep. He crept downstairs to the family's unfinished basement, and there, undetected in the early morning darkness, the Barrington teen fed his habit a furtive ritual he repeated several times a day.

It wasn't drugs, gambling or pornography that dominated his thoughts and dreams, sapped his academic ambitions and turned him into a deceitful recluse.

It was video games.

"It was almost a full-time job," recalled Adam, now 27 and living in Chicago. "You just wished you could freeze time in the real world and cruise on this until you were super tired, then go to sleep and come back later."

Uncontrollable video game playing is a 21st century affliction in search of an identity. Is it an addiction on its own terms, as many researchers believe? Or is it just a symptom of deeper problems such as depression or anxiety, as other experts insist?

Dozens of scientific papers have yet to produce clear answers, and the medical establishment has been equally indecisive, calling it a condition that requires further study before it can be classified as a full-blown psychiatric disorder.

That has put the small portion of American gamers whose play experts classify as "pathological" in a tough spot: Even when they believe they have a problem, there's no defined path to recovery.

Treatment specialists are uncommon, their methods are unproven and their care is rarely reimbursed by insurance. A few support groups have formed, but they've struggled to achieve visibility and attract members.

Many gamers thus have to figure out recovery for themselves, coming up with their own techniques to wrestle their habits into submission. For them, there's no final boss to defeat, no level up that will free them for good only constant temptation lurking behind a sea of screens.

Obsession begins

Adam, who requested that his last name be omitted for fear of being stigmatized, began gaming innocuously enough. When he was 3, his parents bought him a Disney computer game, and a few years later gave him a Nintendo Game Boy and a Sega Genesis as Christmas gifts.

"He really loved anything that interacted on the screen," his mother said. "We got him educational games, but during that time it was becoming very popular to have a gaming system. To be honest, the whole concept of video game addiction was very foreign. All we cared about was that the games would not be violent."

Adam's gaming intensified once he had his own devices, partly because the rest of his childhood was unsatisfying. School was a drag ("I just didn't see the point"), and every sports team he joined was abysmal ("Once you know you're going to lose all the time, you really stop trying").

Video games saved him from all that. The point of each game was crystal clear, and with every level he conquered, his skill improved. The games provided a structure the rest of life seemed to lack and rewarded his effort with prompt recognition, from cascades of virtual coins to chirpy musical salutes.

And on top of everything, gaming was a blast: "There was a rush of adrenaline, a rush of endorphins," he said.

Researchers have studied the psychological rewards of video games for more than two decades, comparing their effects on the brain's pleasure-producing dopamine pathway with those of gambling and drug use. The results, while far from definitive, are intriguing.

Aviv Weinstein, a psychologist at Israel's Ariel University, recently reviewed dozens of studies into gaming and found that the structure and function of some brain regions change when people play games excessively, just as they do when people use drugs. He said that strengthens the argument that compulsive gaming could be a distinct mental disorder.

Critics such as Christopher Ferguson, a psychologist at Florida's Stetson University, are unconvinced. He said any pleasurable activity creates changes in the brain, and that the magnitude of the change differs greatly.

"Playing a video game increases the dopamine level by 100 to 200 percent," he said. "Methamphetamine increases it by 1,400 percent."

Ferguson was also skeptical of the link some researchers make between obsessive video gaming and problem gambling.

He said what keeps a slot machine player bolted to his chair is "intermittent reinforcement" the sense that a jackpot could come at any moment.

By contrast, Ferguson said, most video games are based on "continuous reinforcement" rewards that come at predictable intervals, such as when a player defeats an enemy and advances to the next level. That gives players more control than they have in gambling, he said.

On top of all that, Ferguson said, research has found that people who play video games compulsively often have a mental illness such as anxiety or depression. The games could just be a sign of that underlying problem, he said.

"It's like people who stay in bed all day when they're depressed," Ferguson said. "They're depressed they don't have a bed addiction."

Hooked on 'Warcraft'

Not every video game is the same, however, and the one that mesmerized Adam when he entered high school has a particular reputation for ensnaring players.

"World of Warcraft" is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, or MMO, presenting a nearly endless landscape over which thousands of players roam freely. Small packs band together in the guise of warriors, druids and other characters to perform quests and battle other teams.

Adam was already committing much of his day to gaming, having learned to outwit the prohibitions imposed by his increasingly worried parents. When they stopped buying him games, he found pirate versions online. When they took away his access to the family computer, he used a modified PlayStation to keep going.

But "Warcraft" grabbed him as no other game had. It was a way to socialize with friends and strangers, explore an ever-changing, surprise-filled environment and develop feelings of mastery as his skills grew.

Soon, gaming was consuming an even bigger chunk of his life.

"I would joke with friends about sleep being the first to go, then schoolwork, then family and friends," he said. "It would just cut into those things as you needed more time."

Some researchers have found that MMOs are significantly more likely than other video game genres to lead to excessive play. One experiment, which assigned young people to play four types of games, concluded that those in the MMO group played more, slept less and suffered worse health effects than other players.

In 2004, video game researcher Nick Yee asked more than 2,000 MMO players if they considered themselves to be addicted. About 40 percent said yes.

That figure has been widely publicized, but Yee said it has been misinterpreted: Gamers often use "addicted" in a nonclinical sense, meaning only that they're really enjoying a game, he said.

"Psychiatrists never ask golfers this question because they don't perceive golf to be pathological to begin with," he said. "There are a lot of people asking it of gamers, but we don't have any other activities to compare it against."

Yee said new technologies are often blamed for compulsive behavior when depression and social anxiety are the true culprits. Adam said those were part of his own struggle.

"Some of it is maybe more tricky than other things," he said. "An issue I had, that a couple of my friends had, is that we were teenagers. We were socially awkward, we were horny and lonely and we felt something was missing, but we didn't know how to fix that.

"When you don't know how to fix that and create opportunities for yourself, you feel helpless. Why not play video games?"

Help hard to find

Adam's incessant gaming hurt his high school grades, he said, but he did well enough to get into the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There, his habit continued.

"When I was a freshman, the RA walked into my room and said, 'I don't see how you can get any work done with so many distractions,'" he said. "I'd forgotten what life was like without video games. To me they weren't distractions. They were just part of how everything works."

By his sophomore year, though, his mood and mental state had deteriorated. He went to the campus counseling center but gave up after a single session because he didn't feel a connection with his counselor. It was the last time he sought professional help.

Treatment centers for video game addiction are common in Asia, sometimes taking the form of isolating "boot camps," but they are still a rarity here. One exception is the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, which has centers in Harvey, Peoria and Bloomington.

Brittany Ott, who does outreach work for the institute, said it has treated problem gamers for more than 20 years, employing methods similar to those used for drug and alcohol addictions: three or four weeks of group and individual therapy, lessons on coping skills and the creation of an abstinence plan for when addicts return home.

"The initial plan is at least 30 days with no use of any technology, then try to re-evaluate healthy steps on how to bring technology back into their lives," Ott said.

She said the institute has no data on the effectiveness of the approach, though it is trying to collect that information. The industry as a whole is short on vetted results: One review by Mark Griffiths of England's Nottingham Trent University found little research to support any gaming treatment program.

He believes video games can become a bona fide addiction, but that it is rare. While some researchers believe roughly 1 in 10 gamers are addicted, Griffiths thinks it's more like 1 in 1,000.

"They're assessing people who are preoccupied rather than addicted," he said, the difference being that addiction diminishes a person's life instead of adding enjoyment. "They might have some problems, but they're not addicted."

Some evidence suggests that time itself can cure problem gamers. Psychologist Joel Billieux of the University of Luxembourg and co-founder of the Internet and Gambling Disorders Clinic in Belgium said long-term studies of "excessive behaviors" such as gaming, shopping and exercise show they are usually transient phenomena.

"(The studies) support the view that these behaviors are often displayed to cope with real-life problems or psychological difficulties (such as depression or anxiety), and that in such cases they should not necessarily be considered and treated as genuine addictive disorders," he said.

By the end of college, Adam was trying to manage his gaming but still fell into a pattern of bingeing, abstinence and relapse. He would uninstall his favorite games from his computer, hoping the urge would go away, but when he was bored or upset or angry, he went right back.

Then, about three years ago, Adam started going out with a woman who knew nothing about his issues. Their first date took place at an arcade.

Though he eventually told her about his problem, she didn't think it was a big deal compared with people she knew who struggled with drugs. But that was before Adam showed flashes of addictlike behavior.

"We were supposed to go to dinner and he had made up the excuse that he had to see a family member," she said. "The next time I saw him I said, 'How was the meeting?' He looked bashful and said, 'I actually spent the whole day playing video games.'

"That was the first time he had lied to me. That was a really big deal."

It was a big deal to Adam too. Deceiving someone he cared about to spend more time gaming was his moment of clarity a realization that his habit was leading him into dark places.

At last, he plotted his escape.

Kicking the habit

Adam figured he needed to avoid temptation, so he limited his contact with friends who were hardcore gamers. He used filters on the popular Reddit website to avoid any discussion of gaming topics.

And in the most radical step, he rendered his online gaming account unusable by resetting his username and password to strings of randomly generated numbers and letters. He then burned the paper on which he had written them, ensuring they were lost forever.

"Once I removed all stimulation that was game-related, not playing became very easy," he said.

As Adam's obsession cooled, he grew interested in meeting others who had endured similar experiences. He formed a Chicago chapter of Computer Gaming Addicts Anonymous, a support group that loosely follows the 12-step approach to recovery (it recently began holding weekly meetings at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation on the Near North Side).

Through the group, Adam met a 55-year-old Chicago woman with a very different gaming problem. She didn't get sucked into elaborate fantasy worlds or high-adrenaline shooters her issue was smartphone games like "Burger Shop" and "Words with Friends."

"I lost a good job six years ago, and maybe a contributing factor was being tired from being up until 3 a.m. playing games on my phone," she said.

Therapy, prayer and traditional 12-step meetings didn't provide much help. But when she met Adam, talking things over in a Chicago coffee shop, she found someone who understood her issues and kept her accountable when she tried to stop.

The woman said she played her last video game in 2015, though she still finds herself pulled toward text-based trivia games.

"It's not that fun, but I think there's still some dopamine in it," she said. "Things are moving on my phone."

As for Adam, he works as a computer programmer, a situation he jokes is similar to a recovering alcoholic working in a liquor store. Constant proximity to a screen has not led him back into uncontrollable play, he said, though he still fools around with simple computer games for a few minutes a week.

In the end, he sees himself as a recovering addict, but he says the label isn't important. Video games were his deliverance from depression, loneliness and social anxiety. When he finally dealt with those problems, he said, he didn't need the games anymore.

That's not to say he wouldn't love to go back.

"They were awesome," Adam said. "A lot of people look back at video games with a certain amount of bitterness and disdain after they stop playing, but I loved them. I hope one day I can play video games responsibly."

jkeilman@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @JohnKeilman

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Are video games addictive like drugs, gambling? Some who've struggled say yes - Chicago Tribune

Last weekI wrote abouta new proposal, released by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, that would end the 25-year prohibition against states legalizing sports gambling. The bill would allow states to legalize any other form of gambling they choose to regulate. This approach, I wrote, had the potential to unite much of the gaming industry behind it. After a second look at the proposal, it appears more likely that the only unity it may generate will be among the opposition.

In my excitement over a proposal that would repeal an outdated and unjust law not something that happens often I failed to notice a few devils in the bills details. While it would repeal the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) and return the right to regulate any form of intrastate gambling to the states, the proposal would also grant brand new powers to the federal government to interfere in state matters.

For one, the bill would require any state-licensed gambling facility that wants to acceptinterstatewagers to submit to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) a description of how they have complied with the law of each such State with respect to each of the consumer protections. It also gives the FTC enforcement authority over licensees and allows it to promulgate rules for complying with the new reporting requirements.

For another, it would amend the Public Health Service Act, establishing within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) new programs aimed at studying and addressing gambling addiction, including the creation of a Gambling Addiction Research Advisory Committee within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It also requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to deviate from its core mission preventing the spread of actual disease by setting up a National Gambling Addiction Surveillance System, at a cost of $5 million a year.

This expansion of government is likely to drive away any support its sponsor, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), might have hoped to garner from Republicans, many of whom are already skeptical of expanding the availability of gambling and generally adhere to the idea of limiting the size of government. Furthermore, members of the casino industry are unlikely to throw their weight behind legislation that wouldincreasefederal oversight of their industry, along with compliance costs. Without their support, any proposal is probably dead on arrival.

Additionally, as I briefly touched on in my initial analysis, the bills definition of what constitutes gambling is very broad. At first, I interpreted this as a good thing a way to give states the power to legalize and regulate any activity as they see fit. But, the proposal actually would rope in a few industries that have, thus far, escaped federal regulation. The bills definition of what a bet or wager is defined as:

The risking of something of value,including virtual currency or virtual itemsthat can be sold or otherwise exchanged for cash upon the outcome of a contest of others, a sporting event, a game subject to chance, ora game in which the outcomes reflect the relative knowledge and skill of the participants, upon an agreement or understanding that the person or another person will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome. [Emphases added]

This seems to mean that an online or offline event, in which players stake anything of value including virtual currency if it can be exchanged for something of value would be subject to the proposals requirements. So even something like, say, a tournament of a first-person shooter game (e.g. the Unreal Tournament) may fall under this designation if players or teams have to pay an entry fee and stand to win some predetermined prize of value. Based on my initial evaluation, even hot dog eating contests and fair games that have a pay-to-play structure might need to adhere to the consumer protection and federal reporting requirements.

In the end, if a final bill includes this broad language, increase in federal involvement, and compliance requirements, I cannot imagine that any industry would be supportive. More likely, many will expend energy fighting the proposal.

If Rep. Pallone really wants to return the power to regulate sports gambling to the states, he should offer a simple bill that doesonlythat: repeals PASPA without increasing the size of government or creating onerous new requirements for the gaming industry.

Photo: Rep. Frank Pallone (YouTube/Screenshot)

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Sports Gambling Bill Might Unite Groups in Opposition - American Spectator

By Pam Mackey-Taylor, guest columnist

May 30, 2017 at 7:00 am | Print View

I am a mother, grandmother and lifelong Iowa resident who cares about the air, water and communities of Iowa.

Im also a shareholder of Alliant Energy.

On May 23, Alliant held its annual shareholder meeting in Cedar Rapids amid growing concerns about the risks that Alliants coal-heavy energy mix could pose to shareholders like myself. It is no longer acceptable for publicly traded corporations to ignore coals risks. In December, Norges Bank, the worlds biggest wealth fund, divested all holdings in Alliant Energy and excluded the company from its funds because of Alliants heavy coal use. In March, BlackRock, the worlds largest fund manager and largest institutional owner of Alliant Energy threatened to vote out board directors who ignored the risks of climate change. Recently, billionaire investor Warren Buffett addressed shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway saying, if you are tied to coal, youve got problems.

When the worlds largest wealth fund no longer wants Alliant stock, it makes me wonder about my investment, and whether Alliants leadership is listening. Alliant relies on coal for nearly half of its electricity generation, with less than 10 percent coming from renewables like solar and wind. And its plan to reduce some coal over the next several years would replace it with mostly natural gas. Alliant will miss a huge opportunity to demonstrate leadership on clean energy. Meanwhile, our neighboring utility MidAmerican is aiming for 100 percent clean energy and is within striking distance of that goal.

Alliants plans arent enough to protect the long-term investment of shareholders like me, and Im worried that coal-heavy portfolio is putting my future at risk. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to invest in something that could grow and support me and my family in the future. While some invest to create a safety net, to save for a house or send a child to college, my investment is for my retirement. I dont want my retirement to come at the expense of a safe and thriving environment for my children and grandchildren, and with the warnings big investment firms are giving, Im worried about whether my retirement is even safe financially.

I care about my future, and the future of Iowas communities. I care about our air, our water, and the quality of life for the next generation of Iowans, including my own children and grandchildren. Iowas corporations ought to divest from coal, and invest in clean energy that safeguards our health, our planet, and yes, our financial security. Clean energy wind and solar could create more jobs and more a sustainable economy for Iowa. Its time for us to stop gambling on yesterdays dirty fuels.

Pam Mackey-Taylor, of Marion, is an Alliant Energy shareholder and the conservation chair for Sierra Clubs Iowa Chapter

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It's time to stop gambling on yesterday's fuels - The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines

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Legalising gambling: law panel in moral quandary - The Hindu