Senator wants to fund health care with gambling

[The Buzz]

The biggest debate here in the U.S. is over health care reform. The biggest debate in the online gambling community is over the UIGEA. One senator from Oregon wants to kill two birds with one stone.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced a proposal on Saturday to use Internet gambling revenue to offset the costs of health care reform.

Casino City has the press release:

WASHINTON, D.C. -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- An increased focus on the benefits of Internet gambling regulation are expected as the Senate Finance Committee considers a proposal introduced on Saturday to use Internet gambling revenue to offset the costs of health care reform. The amendment offered by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) would dedicate Internet gambling tax revenue generated through implementation of the currently pending Internet Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2267) to increase low-income subsidies provided through the America's Healthy Future Act of 2009. A PricewaterhouseCoopers analysis shows that collecting taxes on regulated Internet gambling would allow the U.S. to capture up to $62.7 billion over the next decade.

"We applaud Senator Wyden's proposal to collect and put to good use tens of billions in Internet gambling revenue that would otherwise be lost in the underground marketplace," said Michael Waxman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. "The Senate Finance Committee should approve this resolution, finally putting to an end a failed prohibition on Internet gambling that leaves Americans unprotected and unlicensed offshore operators as the only beneficiary in a thriving marketplace."

The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2267), introduced in May by House Committee on Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA), would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from individuals in the U.S. The legislation mandates a number of significant consumer protections including safeguards against compulsive and underage gambling, money laundering, fraud and identify theft. Additional provisions in the legislation reinforce the rights of each state to determine whether to allow Internet gambling activity for people accessing the Internet within the state and to apply other restrictions on the activity as determined necessary.

A companion to Chairman Frank's legislation introduced by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act (H.R. 226), would raise revenue for the U.S. Treasury primarily through ensuring that applicable individual taxes, corporate taxes and license fees on regulated Internet gambling activities are collected. Without this legislation, this revenue will remain uncollected while millions of Americans gamble online without consumer protections.

[Anthony]

That's good news. When these politicians see how much money is leaving the states untaxed, they will come around. It's all about the money, not the morals.

[webber286]

I had a dream that this happened. Yeah, I know kinda sad to be dreaming about this stuff. Hopefully it will become reality.

[LiveCasinoPartners]

I used to live in north Florida. At one time there was a huge campaign form and to legalize the state lottery. One of their selling points was that an undetermined amount was to go to the Florida school system. At the time the school system in Florida was famous for being one of the worst in the country.

The state approved the state lottery and the schools had an influx of funds. One year later, the state reduced it's own spending on the school systems saying that they had enough from the lottery. When the lottery income fluctuated, the schools shared income also fluxed giving them financial problems.

So, the same could happen to health care.

It's not more money we nee, but better distribution of existing resources.

My opinion I guess.

[Simmo!]

Wouldn't get too excited, I read somewhere that Senator Wydon has back-peddled on ths one

[TheGamblingGuru]

Wouldn't get too excited, I read somewhere that Senator Wydon has back-peddled on ths one

Maybe here, http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/6...s-gambling-tax

[Webzcas]

This has died

http://www.onlinecasinoreviewer.com/...posaltotax.htm