Letter to Henry Waxman, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce - Hearing on Online Gaming

Letter

Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada's First District today wrote a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce encouraging them to hold a hearing to examine the expansion of online gaming throughout the United States and address the need for a national legal framework.

"States have already recognized the economic potential of online gaming and three, including Nevada, have developed and approved rules," said Titus. "As the legal market for online gaming grows, so does the need for a federal framework with strong consumer safeguards. To protect consumers and prevent a complex patchwork of regulations and agreements, Congress must address this issue now. I hope Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Waxman recognize the importance of this issue and hold a hearing as soon as possible."

The full text of Titus's letter to Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Waxman can be found here:

Dear Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Waxman,

On July 17, the Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance Subcommittee of the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held an important hearing entitled, "The Expansion of Internet Gambling: Assessing Consumer Protection Concerns." The purpose was to examine the expansion of online gaming throughout the United States with a focus on consumer protection.

As you know, three states, Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware, have approved rules for internet gaming. Other states are soon likely to consider ways to enable citizens to access online gaming. Previous efforts in Congress to create a national legal framework for internet gaming have failed and states have moved ahead of Congress to develop these laws and accompanying regulations.

It is important that Congress move quickly to recognize this reality in order to ensure that consumers are protected, while excluding bad actors from participating in the marketplace.

Recent reports have indicated that Americans spend billions of dollars each year through websites based in foreign countries. Many of these websites fail to provide even the simplest consumer protections or verify the age of the user, and do not pay the taxes required of gaming companies operating legally in the United States. As the legal market for online gaming grows here at home, there will be an increased opportunity for bad actors to take advantage of U.S. citizens.

It is critical that Congress create a common sense regulatory framework to address this growing issue. I encourage you to hold a hearing on this important issue as soon as possible. It is important that Congress be proactive to prevent states from creating a confusing and complex patchwork of agreements and regulations.

Sincerely,

Dina Titus
Member of Congress

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