Gary Loveman the CEO and president of Caesars Entertainment says Instead, the question is this: "Should we seize the moment to legalize online poker, permit a safe and legitimate industry in the U.S., and bring those jobs and revenues home?" Unequivocally, the answer is yes.
The current ban on Internet poker has many parallels with the Prohibition of the 1920s. Business is being diverted from legitimate, respected companies that employ thousands of people to fly-by-night, underground (and in this case, foreign) operations.
Just like Prohibition, consumers lose all of the protections that come with a government-regulated onshore business. And millions of otherwise law-abiding adult Americans are hamstrung by a law they disrespect and consider to be a barrier to a perfectly appropriate activity.
Fortunately, there is considerable sentiment to repeal the ban on Internet poker, and legislation has been proposed at both the federal and state level. Unfortunately, however well-intentioned it may be, state level legislation will not adequately address the problems that currently exist.
From an economic standpoint, if Congress were to clarify the law on Internet poker, the biggest winners would be the states. That's because the legislation being considered would give states the opportunity to share in the growing global online market, and in so doing, generate millions in new revenues to help prevent tax increases, cuts in education, law enforcement, care and other critical services.
One day, we'll look back at 2011 and laugh at the folly of a ban on Internet poker -- just like we now think about Prohibition. The sooner that day comes, the better.
read entire article here
The current ban on Internet poker has many parallels with the Prohibition of the 1920s. Business is being diverted from legitimate, respected companies that employ thousands of people to fly-by-night, underground (and in this case, foreign) operations.
Just like Prohibition, consumers lose all of the protections that come with a government-regulated onshore business. And millions of otherwise law-abiding adult Americans are hamstrung by a law they disrespect and consider to be a barrier to a perfectly appropriate activity.
Fortunately, there is considerable sentiment to repeal the ban on Internet poker, and legislation has been proposed at both the federal and state level. Unfortunately, however well-intentioned it may be, state level legislation will not adequately address the problems that currently exist.
From an economic standpoint, if Congress were to clarify the law on Internet poker, the biggest winners would be the states. That's because the legislation being considered would give states the opportunity to share in the growing global online market, and in so doing, generate millions in new revenues to help prevent tax increases, cuts in education, law enforcement, care and other critical services.
One day, we'll look back at 2011 and laugh at the folly of a ban on Internet poker -- just like we now think about Prohibition. The sooner that day comes, the better.
read entire article here
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