Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., on Thursday introduced a bill that would ban Internet gambling. The bill, S. 627, is very similar to the bill proposed by Rep. James Leach, R-Iowa, in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The House Financial Services Committee passed the Leach bill on Thursday.
Kyl's bill will be heard before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs tomorrow, March 18. Like the Leach bill, it aims to prohibit Internet gambling by placing severe limits on the ways that Internet gambling operators may take payments from U.S. residents.
The bill from Kyl is co-sponsored by Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala.
In a press release, Kyl said he is opposed to Internet gambling because he believes it exacerbates the problem of gaming addiction, funds criminal activities, targets children and has the potential for fraud.
"Internet gambling is not a fun diversion, but feeds a dangerous and growing addiction," Kyl said. "It is linked to organized crime, rife with fraud, ruins credit ratings, and allows many young people to build up thousands of dollars in debt on their parents' credit cards."
The Arizona senator first proposed a bill to ban online gambling in 1995.
To read Kyl's bill, S. 627, click here.