On Wednesday, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and RepresentativeJason Chaffetz (R-UT) introduced legislation to ban internet gambling in the United Statessans horse racing, which was given a carve-out. Among those groups weighing in on the bills is the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative, or SSIGI. Needless to say, the organization was floored about the legislation, which follows the beliefs of Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson. Read the Graham bill.

Michael Waxman, spokesperson for the Initiative, commented in a press release obtained by PocketFives, “The idea that Congress could or would ban internet gambling is ludicrous and downright foolish. Whether you like the idea of allowing access to internet gambling or not, Americans are currently wagering billions a year online, most of which occurs in an unregulated marketplace. Given the freedom of the internet, attempts to prohibit this activity have never worked and will never work.”

According to the Poker Players Alliance and Las Vegas Review-Journal, the legislation from Graham and Chaffetz would shut down the regulated online poker rooms and internet gambling sites currently operating in New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware.

To that end, Waxman pointed out, “While Federal oversight is needed, individual states should decide whether to allow internet gambling within their borders. Graham and Chaffetz should respect the right of each state, not force a rollback of an industry that has already started to flourish in the US.”

The legislation appears to have come at the urging of Adelson(pictured), according to the SSIGI and others, leaving Waxman to call out the casino giant: “It’s laughable and completely disingenuousthat a casino mogul would come out so forcefully against gambling online because, in his view, it’s the only way to protect consumers. While Adelson preaches the need for prohibition, I certainly hope clearer heads prevail and acknowledge his actions are purely driven by bottom-line greed to the detriment of what’s truly best for consumers.”

You might recall that during a recent Congressional subcommittee hearing on internet gambling, it was revealed that the Venetian in Las Vegas, a Sands property, promotes and offers a mobile sports book, which caused one lawmaker to call its lobbyist “hypocritical.” Read about the hearing here.

We’ll keep you posted on the latest poker legislation news right here on PocketFives.

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