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News > 2005 > 2005 November > 21 Nov 2005 > Can Online Casinos Be Regulated?

Can Online Casinos Be Regulated?
21 Nov 2005

Online gambling is illegal in the United States, but that doesn't stop Americans from visiting online casinos and placing their bets, and Americans are divided on whether legalizing the practice is a good idea. CBS's 60 Minutes presented a segment last night on the thriving business of online casino clubs and what certain players and lawmakers think of it.

The show focused on the enormous growth of the online casino industry, especially in light of the illegality of it. Terri Lanni, CEO of MGM/Mirage, says, "I think the issue is very simple: that you should license it, regulate it and tax it.” Nigel Payne, the operator of Sporting Bet, one of the most thriving online gambling companies, seconds that opinion: "The right thing to do, the responsible thing to do, is to regulate online gambling and embrace proper social parameters through regulatory control." Payne pushed for regulation primarily so responsible online casinos would be able to survive in today's highly competitive market.

On the other side of the proverbial fence is US Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona, who is trying to push legislation that would crack down on casino clubs and online gambling. "It's so easy to do. It's so easy for kids to do. And it has frequently been demonstrated that there's a lot of graft and corruption in this," he said. Kyl does admit that this kind of legislation will not stop off-shore casino clubs from attracting players, but he still hopes it will help solve the problem.