Illinois Governor George Ryan has put his signature on a bill that prohibits companies based in that state from operating websites that offer wagering.
Filed Wednesday, Senate Bill 0004 amends the state's criminal code to "prohibit a person from establishing, maintaining or operating an Internet site that permits a person to play a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value by means of the Internet." The measure provides that the penalty for a first offense is a class A misdemeanor and for a subsequent conviction is a class 4 felony.
Asked to elaborate on how the new law will be enforced, a spokesman for the governor's office said it will be up to the public. "[Enforcement] could be an issue," he admitted. "Certainly, with the law in the books, you're sending a strong message that Internet gambling is against the law. Hopefully, that will be a deterrent."
Senator Dick Klemm, who introduced the bill, says that the bill is enforceable because it only applies to companies within the state's jurisdiction. Klemm stressed the need for such a law because no previous legislation addresses Net betting.
According to Klemm, even a law regulating online gaming would be better than no law at all. "If you're going to allow it, at least have the government control it," he said, although he stressed that he was very much against it.