Horse Racing Safe as Internet Gambling Ban Passes
"The legislation, which also modernizes the Wire Act of 1961, attempts to stymie Internet gambling by outlawing use of credit to make bets and mandating criminal penalties. Its primary target is offshore online casinos that take wagers from U.S. residents.
"Chances for introduction and passage of an Internet gambling bill by the Senate remain unclear. Republican Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona has championed similar legislation in his chamber since the late 1990s.
"...Much of the debate on the House floor before the vote centered on the pari-mutuel horse racing industry, which under the IHA is permitted to offer account wagering across state lines between states that expressly permit it.
"NTRA officials have said pari-mutuel horse racing already is covered under the IHA, and therefore doesn't require an exemption. The horse racing industry and the U.S. Department of Justice remain at odds in their positions on interstate pari-mutuel wagering, though the federal government has taken no action..."