Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton has introduced legislation seeking to outlaw internet gambling nationwide.
Formally designated as S.3376, the legislation has undergone two readings and is now under the purview of the Senate Judiciary Committee, signifying its readiness for deliberation and voting.
The official congressional website states that the bill intends to ensure that legal interpretations lacking binding authority do not undermine existing laws prohibiting the use of financial instruments for online wagering.
This action aligns with the efforts of Sheldon Adelson, who aims to eliminate any avenues for funding illicit online gambling activities.
This is not a novel development. In June 2015, Senators such as Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham attempted to pass the “Restoration of America’s Wire Act.” Graham made another attempt in May 2016 to incorporate language from the 1961 Wire Act into a Senate appropriations bill, but it proved unsuccessful.
Proponents of these legislative measures contend that a 2011 memorandum issued by the Justice Department during the Obama administration overstepped its bounds. This memo essentially asserted that the government did not consider interstate “wire” gambling (excluding sports wagering) to fall under the purview of the Wire Act.
Senator Cotton has put forward legislation with a temporary name, leaving the specifics and potential scope unclear for the time being.
