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Utah, one of two states that does not allow any form of gambling, worries that federal trade officials will barter away the state's right to regulate online gambling, accord to an editorial piece appearing in Tuesday's Salt Lake City Tribune.
House Joint Resolution 1 would urge the federal government to continue to let states hold the cards. The stakes are high, so Utah lawmakers should go all-in, and give the measure unanimous support.
Internet wagering is the crack cocaine of gaming. It's highly addictive and readily available, a round-the-clock siren preying on those too weak to know their limits.
The industry -- more than 2,000 offshore sites -- exacts a terrible toll, and not just on gamblers and their families.
In states that allow legal wagering, Internet gambling cuts down on the tourist trade, robbing local economies of jobs, income and tax revenue.
And in Utah, where gambling in all forms is constitutionally forbidden, Web-based wagering makes it easier for citizens to circumvent the law.
Online gambling industry analysts were quick to lash out at the piece.
"This editorial is ridiculous," said one operator. "It makes so many unsupported assertions, gets the size of the world i-gaming market wrong, and recycles the whole "crack cocaine" bit.
"Did this thing get written by the Salt Lake Tribune editorial board, or by Focus on the Family, or by Senator (Jon) Kyl's press officer?"
In recent weeks, the state has been on edge, concerned over the potential for legalized Internet gambling within Utah's borders.
"The very law that protects Americans and America's gambling industry from these Internet interlopers apparently runs afoul of international trade agreements," the editorial piece further expresses.
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
