         
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA)
The drums of war against online casinos had been sounding for some time by anti-gambling factions in the United States. Several politicians had tried unsuccessfully over the years to bring an end to this type of pastime enjoyed by millions of citizens around the globe. Religious groups rejected all types of gambling, but online gambling in particular, citing the fact that the unrestricted internet made it difficult to restrict minors from accessing these sites and that gambling contributed to many of society’s problems.
Republican politicians fought a tireless and ongoing battle against online gambling until they finally managed to bring the law up through the Congress. Minutes before the Senate was due to recess for the season, the Republicans sneaked the law through by attaching it as Title VIII on a completely unrelated bill – the Safe Port Act HR 4954.
In actual fact, not one of the Senate House Conference Committee members saw the final wording of the bill. They were asked to vote on a perfectly legitimate act (calling for Safe Ports) but also asked to vote against online gambling. If they voted to keep online gambling in the United States, they would be, in essence, neglecting the need for safe ports. The absurdity of the situation has not gone unnoticed by many analysts who blame the politicians for underhanded legislation.
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