Officials with U.S. Rep. Robert Goodlatte's, R-Va., office confirmed published reports today that the congressman will be introducing a new bill on Thursday aimed at banning Internet gaming.
Janet Polarek, a spokesperson for Goodlatte's office, told IGN there will be an 11 a.m. press conference in Washington Thursday to unveil the particulars of the bill and until that time no comments would be made regarding the bill.
The announcement will come a day after the House Financial Services Committee voted 34-18 to pass a similar bill introduced by James Leach, R- Iowa. Leach's Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act (HR 556), a standalone bill, uses language that had been included in an anti-money laundering bill. The Internet gambling provision was removed from the anti-money laundering bill, however, before it was passed.
The main difference between the Goodlatte and Leach bills is the establishment of enforcement mechanisms. While previous versions of the Goodlatte bill called upon Internet service providers for enforcement, Leach's bill targets "banking instruments" such as credit cards, wire transfers and checks.
Goodlatte's bill is expected to include strong language that would make online gaming an illegal activity. The bill is expected to "update gambling statutes to keep pace with new technologies," according to a short statement by Goodlatte's office.
Goodlatte failed in his attempt to get a successful vote on his Internet gambling legislation last year. That bill had faced long odds due to concerns raised by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman W.J. "Billy" Tauzin, R-La., who claimed that the legislation would actually encourage new forms of online gambling.
Other House leaders had expressed concerns that the legislation does not adequately protect Internet service providers (ISPs) from liability in the event illegal gambling appears to be passing through their servers because of their subscribers.
One Washington insider told IGN that he suspects it will be just a matter of time before the Goodlatte bill is folded into the Leach bill. The source said Goodlatte probably felt pressure to reintroduce his bill because it has long been a cause of his after the Financial Services committee looked at the issue. He said that Goodlatte continues to seek an outright ban of Internet gambling because of his membership on the Judiciary committee. That committee would oversee the legality of any legislation that would seek to ban a particular activity before passing it on to the full House.
It is believed that Goodlatte's bill would include carve-outs which would allow fantasy sports leagues and "educational" games to continue operating, as well as bona fide securities transactions.