Answers
The act was passed Saturday, Sep 30. It prohibits online gambling by placing criminal sanctions on financial institutions and banks if they fund an entity involved in "illegal gambling" operations. Some things such as horseracing and fantasy sports have been carved out/excluded from the definition of illegal gambling, but common games such as poker and blackjack are hit.
I will admit my bias and say that this legislation is crap. The government should not be telling us what we can and cannot do with our own money. They say it's to protect the children and to stop gambling addictions... there are many other less restrictive yet more effective means to protect children from gambling websites such as universal age-verification accounts (which could be implemented if the government looked into regulation instead of prohibition). As for addicts.... I've never heard an addict complain that he couldn't find a place to gamble his money away. Taking this away doesn't help the addiction
I agree with you that this is an unnecessary and unhelpful bill. If legally prohibiting addictive behaviors was effective, then alcohol would be the least abused drug in America. Instead, it's the most abused.
But the most disturbing aspect of this act, in my opinion, is that I was not aware of it until you posted your question. I did not hear this or read this on any news outlet where I get my news on a daily basis. All I've heard about is senators' emails, election stuff, and school shootings. It makes me wonder what other crucially important bills have been passed without me being informed of them at all.
I know it's my responsibility as a citizen to know the laws, but it seems so difficult to get that information. If ignorance of the law is no excuse, then where do we go to get "un-ignorant?" Is there some kind of database or master list of the laws I'm expected to know and follow, not to mention which of my Congresspersons voted for/against it, so I can use that knowledge next time I vote?
Quietly tacking onto a bill an unrelated law is an extremely deceptive and shameful practice in a supposedly free democratic society. I feel conned.
We have to define what a cure for a gambling addiction is. Can an addicted individual evolve to a place where gambling no longer has the emotional ...
ADDICTION IS NOT A DISEASE!!!!
I am not going to say that there is not a physical or genetic component to compulsive behavior, because there clearly is. My problem with the disease definition is that it expiates the need for personal responsibility on the part of the individual. I am not responsible for stealing, my drug addiction pushed me to it. I am not responsible for losing my house, my gambling addiction caused that. I am not responsible for destroying my family, my alcohol addiction caused that. Now I am not saying that people who have these disorders (characterised by compulsive behavior) are not sad cases, nor am I saying that all addicts make excuses like this - on the contrary, it is the non-addict population who generally makes these kinds of arguments. But notice that I did use the moniker "disorder" rather than disease. For many, this might be pure semantics, but for me it is not. A disease implies no choice - you cannot "will away" the symptoms. Even the physical components of addiction still have a choice...
News
Measures 66 and 67: Its time we paid moreHillsboro Argus - OregonLive.com - Jan 06, 2010
Measures 66 and 67: It#39;s time we paid moreThe fact that the Oregon Lottery Commission is trying to get more people to spend money on a state sanctioned gambling addiction should tell anyone with a and morenbsp;raquo;Beckley Register-Herald - Jan 10, 2010
“For instance, if gambling is the addiction, you will make sure you have money to use for gambling even if you choose not to pay utilities or house paymentsChina Daily - Jan 03, 2010
There is no national or international standard about the definition of Internet addiction, let alone a proper treatment approach,quot; said Gao Wenbin.
Big Government (blog) - Jan 04, 2010
Gambling, alcohol and marijuana are not as addictive, so that is a grey area. I#39;ll say this though – a gambling addiction is the fiercest, wickedest thing
Malaysia Star (blog) - Dec 23, 2009
of non-Muslims family wrecked by intoxicant addiction, extra-marital mistresses, prostitution addiction, gambling addiction,and troubled children?Leagle, Inc. - Dec 16, 2009
[ 2 ] Steven and Rachel separated during 2004 due to Steven#39;s gambling addiction. Upon Steven#39;s promises to change his gambling behavior, the two reunitedSILive.com - Jan 04, 2010
Many who are expert in addictive behavior believe that pathologic gambling is an addiction and that there are specific personality types that are more