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22
March 2008
iMEGA
Criticizes Online Gambling
Legislation
iMEGA
(Interactive Media Entertainment
& Gaming Association) has
voiced its opposition to a
provision, contained within
legislation that would legalize
casinos in Massachusetts, to ban
online gambling at a State House
hearing in Boston.
The
provision is unconstitutional
because it tramples on Americans'
inalienable First Amendment
rights and would, if implemented,
exert a harsh chilling effect on
Internet innovation running the
grave risk of sharply stifling
the growth of electronic
commerce.
"It
is ironic for a bill to legalize
gambling in Massachusetts to
outlaw and severely punish
gambling online. It simply makes
no sense," said Joe Brennan, Jr.,
Chairman of iMEGA. "How can an
activity that is legal in 48 of
the 50 states be a criminal act
simply because it utilizes the
internet? If an American has the
right to choose in the "real
world," shouldn't they enjoy that
very same right when they are
online?"
The
protection of digital civil
rights and the ability of all
Americans to exercise their
freedoms with an expectation of
privacy, in a safe and protected
manner, is as important as it has
been to protect the right of
every American to engage in the
freedom of speech. It is
imperative that haphazard
government regulation of Internet
not create a slippery slope,
whereby lawmaking encroaches on
all aspects of Internet use,
severely hampering innovation,
commerce and information, as well
as individual rights of personal
privacy.
"Like
many of the government's forays
into cyberspace, these efforts
are well intended but yield the
considerable practical problems
of unintended consequences,"
Brennan said. "In this case,
Americans' right to privacy and
freedom of expression are
imperiled by overzealous
lawmaking."
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