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The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is not favored for many reasons and dissatisfaction for the poorly planned law goes well beyond online casinos and Internet gambling operators.  Keith Whyte, Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gaming, has a problem with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act because it executes one of its supposed primary purposes very poorly.  The law did little to nothing to actually prevent problem gambling.  

Whyte recognizes that the intention of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is to make it nearly impossible for gamblers to fund accounts at online casinos.  Unfortunately, law does little to address problem gambling, the real threat posed at any gambling venue.  Not one cent of the millions of dollars it would take to enforce this law goes toward research and education on responsible gambling habits and treatment. 

 It strikes Whyte as odd that with so much emphasis being placed on problem gambling for those lobbying against online casinos that their would not be some effort placed toward treating problem gambling. 

Whyte described the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act as cutting an alcoholic of from the ability to fund their drinking disorder as opposed to helping the person beat the disorder itself. 

Not even Kentucky was safe from Whyte’s outrage.  He attacked the infamous attempt of Governor Steve Beshear to seize the domain name of 141 online casinos despite that fact that the commonwealth has made millions of dollars on Internet and racecourse wagering.  And though Beshear claims he is fighting problem gambling and unwanted exposure to minors, only $250,000 each year is dedicated to treating problem gambling in the state. 

“It’s better than nothing, but if online poker sites could stand up and say that Kentucky only does that and we do other innovative things, then maybe the court of public opinion would embrace it,” concluded Whyte.

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