Frist fails in first attempt to ban internet gambling

[Awsi Dooger]

This has been big news in Las Vegas sportsbooks and poker rooms today. Jackass Frist is trying for conservative brownie points before he leaves the senate, via banning the horrors of internet gambling. He knows the bill could never pass on its own so he's desperate to avoid debate and attach a watered down version to a popular bill that is destined to pass. The first attempt was piggybacked atop a defense allocation bill but that was shot down by Carl Levin and others since there was no relationship between the two items. Now it's certain Frist will be scrambling for an attachment opportunity during the lame duck session. It's not much of a demographic but I can tell you this move has outraged gamblers and I'm hearing much more anti-Republican sentiment among them than any time among my 20 years here in Las Vegas.

http://www.eog.com/news/industry.aspx?id=8460

"The National Right for Online Gaming (NROG) confirmed early today that Senator Bill Frist’s attempt to push through an online gambling ban before Congress breaks for elections has failed and no more action will be taken in the coming days. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source close to the Senator told NROG that “the efforts, including an attempt to attach to the DoD bill, have failed and he (Frist) will not be moving forward with gambling legislation before elections.” Congress will return for a “lame duck” session in mid-November where this issue may take center stage again. “The Senator has made Internet Gambling a priority before he exits the Senate and I will confirm that he is actively searching for a way to succeed.”

NROG Director of Development, Jay Bailey, said earlier today "If Senator Frist wishes to make this an issue then he should do what the House did in July and bring HR-4411 to the floor of the Senate for debate. Hiding legislation in other bills to further one’s own political agenda is not what our citizens deserve. These games in Washington must stop.”