Coalition Opposes Federal Ban on State-Regulated Online Gambling

WASHINGTON, DC — As reported by the Washington Post, twelve conservative groups sent a letter to House and Senate leadership stating that states are the appropriate authority for regulating online gaming.

The following statement can be attributed to Americans for Tax Reform President, Grover Norquist:

“State legislatures are more than capable of making their own decisions about gambling online in their states just like they have done with live casinos.  They don’t need the federal government babysitting them.  The Internet should be a freedom zone, and this is a piece of that pie.”

In the letter the groups note: 

"The states have always led the way in regulating gambling and that is why a diverse coalition of organizations including the Democratic Governors Association, National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislatures and numerous civil libertarian, free market and conservative groups have already spoken out against this legislation.

Regardless of your personal opinions on gambling, we encourage you to preserve the authority of the states to prohibit or regulate gambling as the 10th Amendment directs."