Internet Gambling Finds a US Republican Ally in North Dakota

Filed in archive Gambling General on September 18, 2006

Not every politician in the US thinks online gambling is evil. Some are even willing to speak up in support of it.

North Dakotan State Republican, Jim Kasper, is against the latest move to ban internet gambling in the US - to the point of calling the proposal "ridiculous". He also questions the logic in the ban "My fellow Republicans just don't get it"

Kasper is against what he calls 'policing' the internet and what people do in their own living rooms. In fact, he's so against the ban, he actually wants to legalise online poker in north dakota and is looking to introduce a bill to bring online poker legislation - and all the businesses that operate online poker - to the State. The bill will only support online poker though.

The casinos will have to use North Dakota's state-owned bank as a measure to protect gamblers' money and safeguard against money laundering.

Software mandates, Kasper claims, will provide age-verification protections and allow the state to monitor for individuals exhibiting addictive behavior.

In return for North Dakota sanctioning and regulating online poker, casino operators will pay taxes on gross revenues that will be used to reduce property taxes.

Kasper has attempted this before - but claimed the Department of Justice interfered with his plan. This time he seems even more determined.

Article: North Dakota a Gambling Haven?