McCain to restart anti college betting campaign.

From today's Las Vegas Review Journal.


WASHINGTON -- March Madness came and went this year without Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., moving to prohibit Nevada sports books from taking bets on the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament and other amateur athletic events.

McCain said Tuesday he held off because of the war in Iraq.

But with the war now apparently winding down, McCain said he will reintroduce a sports betting ban bill "soon," although he declined to give a date.

"I was waiting until the war kind of quieted down," said McCain, who spent 5 1/2 years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. "We had originally planned to do it during March Madness."

As McCain waited, however, Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb., on March 26 introduced legislation in the House targeting Nevada sports books with a college sports betting ban. So far, the bill has 28 co-sponsors.

"I have definite feelings about it, having been in coaching for 36 years," said Osborne, who guided the University of Nebraska football team to three national championships before retiring and entering politics.

Osborne's bill has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, but he said he doesn't know when the bill will come up for a hearing.

Osborne said he hasn't communicated directly with McCain about the effort.

Another proponent of the betting ban, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he is urging Congress to begin work on legislation "sooner rather than later."

"We're one scandal away from ruining some student athletes' lives if we don't get more involved," he said.

McCain is chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, which would have jurisdiction over the sports betting ban measure. He said he isn't sure he will schedule another hearing on the legislation.

The last time the committee voted on the bill on May 3, 2001, there was a 10-10 split. Although the bill was considered approved because a majority did not oppose it, Senate leaders didn't schedule a final vote on the floor.

McCain said he will not attach the sports betting bill to other legislation such as a boxing reform measure which the committee approved last month.

"It would unnecessarily complicate the boxing bill," McCain said. "(The sports betting ban) is very controversial, as you know."

Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association, said he expects McCain to unveil the latest sports betting ban proposal within a week to 10 days.

"I'm sure Senator (John) Ensign (R-Nev.) and Senator (Harry) Reid (D-Nev.) and the (Nevada) House delegation will always look for a clean bill that does not get mixed up with other issues," Fahrenkopf said.

does this guy have anything better to do?

u think a las vegas casino is giving him some $$$ in a numbered account?

he can't be that concerned

Jay:

Vegas give him $$, you kidding me?

College accounts for about 35% of a books revenue. They cut of College and the s/books can't cut their nut.

But if he passes legislation, this will be big for offshore.

..and to think I almost voted for McCain in the primaries. Ughhh Soon it will be infinetly easier to buy a $20 crack rock than to place a $20 wager on your favorite college team. Sad times.

Oh, who am I kidding? Its already easier to buy crack. Speaking of, Im off to the store to get me some more Chore-Boy

...and as far as Tom O. goes, the Huskers have always sucked in my book!!!

gl

Good article. Thanks.

Truth is though, that sportbooks robbing people are a big fault. Evan Bayh told me that this was the main reason for the need to ban. He says there is no recourse for players who get robbed. I can understand that side of it. I do not believe that banning will happen though.

Osborne must carry a Boy Scout manual under one arm and a bible under the other.

Quote of the week:

"If winning doesn't matter, why do they keep score".... Vince Lombardi

I really hate this McCain ****! I have to agree with you guys doesn't this guy have more important issues to worry about than college gambling????

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/04/09/tech/main548560.shtml

sorry general u may be misinformed


Internet Fraud Rises In 2002


(AP) Fraud on the Internet rose sharply in 2002, with the FBI reporting more than 48,000 complaints referred to prosecutors — triple the number of the year before.

By far the most common complaint was auction fraud, followed by non-delivery of promised merchandise, credit card fraud and fake investments, according to the report Wednesday from Internet Fraud Complaint Center, run by the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center based in Richmond, Va.

The total dollar loss of Internet fraud reported to the center in 2002 was $54 million, compared with $17 million the year before. The 48,252 complaints referred for prosecution were far more than the 16,755 such complaints referred in 2001, but they still represent only a fraction of the crimes authorities believe are occurring.

The center also received almost 37,000 other complaints in 2002 that did not constitute fraud but involved such things as unsolicited e-mail or SPAM, illegal child pornography and computer intrusions.

As more people do business on the Internet, fraud is expected to continue to increase, officials said. They also said the rise in complaints could stem from greater awareness of the Internet fraud center as a site for victims to fight back.

The center "helps victims by putting fraud information into the hands of law enforcement ... so these complaints are responded to quickly," said Jana Monroe, assistant FBI director in charge of the Cyber Division.

The report provides a glimpse into common types of fraud, its perpetrators and victims. For instance, almost 80 percent of known perpetrators are male and about 71 percent of those bringing complaints are also male.

Fraud complaints came from all over the United States, with a third filed in highly-populated California, Florida, Texas and New York. Complaints also came from Canada, Australia, Britain, Germany and Japan.

While online auction fraud accounted for 46 percent of complaints, the average amount lost in these cases was just $320. By comparison, victims of Internet identity theft averaged $2,000 in losses, with check fraud losses averaging $1,000.

One persistent scam described in the report is the so-called "Nigerian letter," complaints for which rose from 2,600 in 2001 to 16,000 in 2002. Victims are presented with an opportunity to receive nonexistent government money, often from the "Government of Nigeria," as long as they pay an upfront fee often characterized as a bribe to that government.

The report did not include statistics on how many complaints received by the Internet fraud center resulted in criminal convictions last year, but it did detail high-profile examples.

One case involved $800,000 in losses by 300 people in a scheme to sell computers online and never deliver the merchandise. The perpetrator in this case, Teresa Smith of Worcester, Mass., used several identities to prevent authorities from catching her.

Smith pleaded guilty in December to federal mail fraud and wire fraud charges and is awaiting sentencing.

In California, Raj Trivedi of San Diego pleaded guilty in December to a 96-count federal indictment and was sentenced to three years in prison for using the Internet to peddle computers, camcorders and other electronic gear but delivering none of the goods. More than 700 people worldwide were swindled of some $922,000 in that case.



I see nothing in there mentioning online sportsbooks or casinos

Those people are so fricking stupid about not knowing the consquences of the law when it passes.

1) Too many people will bet underground via local private bookie or bet online.
2) Too much tax-dollar will be wasting on law enforcement to crackdown the huge mission impossible to total banishment of illegal sports bookmaking operation.
3)We are 200 times bigger than the estimated number of a-holes the government are corcerned with right now and with the patriot-law applications.
4) They'll be as good as Bush !!

I do not understand Jay Leno. I am telling you that My Senator told me that was a big reason for his thinking internet gambling should be banned. I am not misinformed. That is what he told me. I have a letter as well that i would be happy to fax/email you that states so. I guess he could be lying.

General:

I believe you.

So you Senator wanted to "couch" his reasoning in a manner that made more political sense. Afterall, who wouldn't support an elected official from protecting them against "thiefs"

It's just not the truth. The truth is, simply that some of these crackers just think betting is wrong and immoral and will use ANY reasoning to accomplish their goals.

JC

general

ok then he is misinformed

crackers i love it

i have never been called a cracker

should i feel left out

Thanks Joey

I believe he would "couch" yes, but i also believe it is a just reason as well.

Every feasible argument posted here where a books decision is questionable as to being honest/dishonest is fuel for uncle Sam to try and stop it. That is just the way it is. Books who decide not to pay players on questionable or downright wrong decisions are making their very own future tough on themselves.

Jay L:

Do we always need to say the obvious?

Man, the guy is like a pitbull.

And Osborne is a fukstick, i can't stand him.

What would be the offshore implications of such a ban? Do most offshores make their own college numbers or are they copied from vegas?

WASHINGTON — Sen. John McCain is taking another swing at banning Nevada casinos from taking bets on college sports.

The Arizona Republican reintroduced a bill Tuesday that would strip Nevada casinos of their legal right to take bets on college games. McCain has tried twice before, but his legislation has never made it to the Senate floor.

“By allowing betting in any state, we send a confusing message to our youth as to whether gambling on amateur sports is, in fact, legal or illegal,” McCain said. The casino industry and Nevada lawmakers will again fight the bill, saying the bigger problem is illegal betting on college sports outside Nevada.

The bill has had the backing of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and many college coaches, who rallied in Washington against Nevada taking bets on college games two years ago. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and John Edwards, D-N.C., are co-sponsoring the legislation.

Two years ago, Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., came within one vote of killing a similar bill in the Senate Commerce Committee, which McCain chairs.

Many senators agreed with Nevada lawmakers that the bigger problem was gambling on college sports that takes place illegally in workplaces, on college campuses or through bookies across the country. “I actually fully plan on defeating this in committee. I think we have the votes,” Ensign said Tuesday.

“(This bill) will not do anything to stop the 98 percent of illegal wagering that happens,” said Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. “This is an uphill battle and Senator Ensign and I will mount an all-out campaign to ensure this anti-Nevada legislation doesn’t pass.”

About $750 million was wagered annually on college sports in Nevada in 2001, Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association, has said. Fahrenkopf, who couldn’t be reached for comment late Tuesday, said casinos’ take on college games is only about $70 million.

He has said the ban would hit local hotels, restaurants and other businesses that would lose the visitors who come to Las Vegas or Reno for March Madness or college bowl games.

http://www.gamblingmagazine.com/managearticle.asp?c=530&a=1431

Is this to say that Caesers will no longer take my "limit" bet of $300 on a college hoops total?? Perish the thought!

David

The best revenge is that college sports is getting more irrelevant by the year. If those hypocrites don't start forking out some dough they are going to have a bunch of Ivy-league quality teams out there and the ratings will slide badly. Then they will be wishing the degenerate gamblers would come back and watch their lousy games because the average person who doesn't bet won't watch inferior talent very often, but a guy who is betting 2 dimes a day couldn't care less who is out there as long as a line is posted.

McCain is a one-man vendetta against Nevada. He consistently denies it, but the reality is that he and many people in Arizona see their neighboring state as a direct rival for just about everything from attracting new residents and companies to getting tourist dollars. He will take every shot he can at Nevada because it means more money to his state. Like the guy really cares about colleges and the athletes, this is all about money and a personal rivalry. Sorry thing is he comes to this state to gamble and stump for politicians, I would think we should all tell him his worthless ass isn't welcome. Maybe we can get Oscar Goodman to have a little "meeting" with him