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US lawmakers move against online gambling

It’s interesting to see US lawmakers move against online gambling. They argue online is harder to control and that poses a risk to young people, especially underage young people who can gamble without being detected.

Newsagents wanting to staunch the growth of online gambling in Australia could consider engaging in a push for similar legislation here. If this happened the live question would be whether politicians would support it. I suspect not as online gambling has too much of a commercial foot hold.

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Lotteries

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  1. David @ Angle Vale Newsagency

    Mark, note it isn’t the small businesses selling lottery products that are driving this. The real key is in the last 2 paras.

    Nevada’s other senator, Republican Dean Heller, favors Internet poker in Nevada and wants to let states decide whether to permit poker online. He also thinks a major expansion of online gambling would be “bad for Nevada and for the country,” Heller spokeswoman Chandler Smith said.

    Sheldon Adelson, a major financial backer of GOP candidates and a casino owner, has said he will spend money to try halting online gambling.

    Sheldon Adelson spent around $150 million trying to buy Newt Gingrich the presidency.

    Mark, you keep telling us to grow our businesses, to work at it and to keep pace with change. Adelson and co haven’t, they failed to embrace the internet and are now seeing their monopoly under threat. Just like the newsagents who hark after the olden days, rather than following the best and adapting and thriving.

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  2. Mark Fletcher

    I did read that David. While I think migration of significant gambling spend to online is inevitable, I’d support anything to slow that.

    I agree the US casino operators have not kept pace and that this is driving their action. There is no substitute for us forcing change on ourselves so we are ahead of the waves of change. The frustrating reality is that many newsagents don’t embrace this.

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  3. Jenny

    Isn’t this what we have associations for – to fight on our behalf?

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  4. Allan Wickham

    Jenny, that horse hasn’t bolted, it is lame.

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  5. Brett

    Please tell how an on line seller can be sure the punter is not inebriated – we are forbidden from selling to intoxicated persons. Two rules?

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