News

Minnesota drops action to make ISPs block gambling sites 05/06/2009

Jon Parker

The US state of Minnesota has dropped action to force internet service providers (ISPs) including AT&T, Comcast and Verizon to block state residents’ access to a 'blacklist’ of 200 gambling websites.

As reported on EGRmagazine.com, the action by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) faced opposition from bodies including America’s Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) lobby group, which wrote to the 11 ISPs last month telling them to ignore the order, as well asking the District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota’s biggest city, to prevent the DPS from enforcing the order (more).

Representative Pat Garafolo, who submitted the original bill seeking to block state residents’ access, issued the announcement, which he said occurred after “the legal position was reconsidered.”

Garafolo said in a statement: “This is a great day for internet freedom. In the spirit of cooperation and in recognition of the rescission of these notices, I am more than happy to withdraw my bill and in its place sponsor a discussion aimed at establishing a framework for regulating and licensing the online gaming industry.”

The bill was also opposed by America’s Poker Players Alliance (PPA). PPA Minnseota State Director Matthew Werden said: “Minnesota poker players made our voices heard, the state listened and ended its ill-advised and improper attempt to circumvent the rights of Minnesota poker players.”

In other US egaming regulation news, the state of Illinois is close to passing a bill to legalise online horse betting (more), while California is debating a bill to legalise intra-state poker (more).

At federal level, a bill to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was submitted by Representative Barney Frank last month (more).

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Posted: 05/06/2009

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