The lobbying effort against the UIGEA is ramping up as the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative has launched an online advertising campaign in support of H.R. 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009. This is the legislation that would permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers inside the U.S. The group estimates that $62.7 billion in revenue could be collected by the government in the first decade alone.
This legislation, which has numerous bipartisan co-sponsors and enjoys the support of several powerful Committee Chairmen, is being touted by the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative as a good way for Congress to raise extra money for healthcare reform and other government programs. Maybe raising the prospect of starting a war with a small country would get Congress interested. At the same time, the campaign expresses support for letting people make their own decisions, carrying Libertarian tones and comparing Internet gambling prohibition to alcohol prohibition. This tactic will hopefully have the benefit of appealing to a much wider segment of viewers.
CNBC reports that the ads will appear on the websites of the Washington Post, The Hill, Politico, The Huffington Post, Political Wire and Talking Points Memo.
Fore more information on this new campaign, please visit the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.
