Fight for Your Right!

It seems our United States representatives don’t believe the people they are elected to represent are intelligent enough to responsibly manage their own lives. Despite the wishes of a large majority of people in this country our elected officials are determined to pass bill HR-4411 the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement act. 

The House of Representatives passed HR-4411 earlier this year in an attempt to make most types of internet gambling illegal including poker, a game of skill. However special exemptions have been given to horse racing and state run lotteries. These exemptions have caused many to question the legitimacy of the bill.

Now Senator Bill Frist, who has made the passage of this bill a priority before he leaves office, has tried every possible measure to get HR-4411 passed before elections. Senator Frist’s efforts have included an attempt to attach HR-4411 to the DoD bill. Luckily, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John W. Warner (R-Va.), has said he will not add riders to the annual defense authorization bill unless they have unanimous support from Democrats and Republicans alike.

Unfortunately, the general public never hears both sides of this issue. The media is saturated with an anti-gambling campaign spearheaded by a few senators. Bill Frist and Jim Leach, both Republican senators, mention a college student who lost all his money and robbed a bank to pay internet gambling debts, and the five known internet gambling related suicides in every speech they make. What they don’t mention are the 6,000,000 unique individuals who gamble online each year without any harm done.

The Banking industry is opposed to this bill also. If passed they will be held accountable for denying any banking transactions to online gambling sites. The banks would have to design a way to monitor and prevent these transactions or be held liable. This would create an incredible burden for American banking systems.

Probably of most interest to the average online sports gambler or poker player is what the passage of this bill would mean to you. Right now the US government has left the individuals using these sites alone preferring to go after the owner/operators. If this bill is passed John Q. Public who decides to play online poker or place a $25 wager on his favorite team would be prosecuted and face up to 5 years in prison.

What is never mentioned is the impact this bill will have, if passed, on your internet browsing. The government will force your ISP (internet service provider) to prevent its customer base from viewing illegal gambling sites or face federal punishment. Instead of attempting the nearly impossible task of differentiating between legal and illegal sites they will simply ban all sites that are gambling related. That list will include information sites such as handicapping websites and any site relating to Las Vegas or Atlantic City.  

Finally we have a voice! We have an opportunity to unite and fight for our right. The NROG, National Right for Online Gaming, is committed to defending our rights. NROG is a 501(c) 4 Non-Profit Organization that is ready to fight on your behalf to defeat any and all legislation aimed at banning online gaming. The NROG represents the entire online gaming industry, not just one area. They are committed to protecting the rights of individuals who chose to play poker, slot machines, roulette, sports betting, state lotteries, dog racing, and every other form of current and future online gaming. Their message is simple. They will fight the US Congress, with the help of their members (membership ranges from free to $1000) until the US government taxes, regulates and monitors online gaming. They will do everything in their power to win this fight once and for all.

Over the next several weeks you will notice a massive rollout of the NROG battle plan. They will use every source of media available including radio, television, print, billboards and the internet to educate and recruit all Americans. Over the next three months the NROG will spend $2 million dollars in their fight and, when the time is right they will take their 200,000 plus membership to Washington D.C. to defeat the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act.

The only way we will win this battle is if we work together. Join the NROG and add your name to the thousands that have already dedicated their support. Go to right now and let your voice be heard. Save online gaming!

88 other countries have legalized internet gambling including the UK and France. Italy actually banned internet gambling but after massive protests are in the process of reinstating it. Isn’t it time for the US to listen to the people and do the same?

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