Online Casino Ban Leaves Girl, 14, Vulnerable to Sexual Predator
Opponents of legalized and regulated online gambling say underage gambling is among the top reasons they want to continue to ban Internet casinos. But evidence mounts that suggests the ban is not effective.In September, a fourteen-year-old New York girl accessed an unspecified online gambling site. While at the site, she began chatting with Andrew Pettitt, a twenty-eight-year-old man from Pennsylvania.
The girl left her home to be with Pettitt, who took her to the mountains in western Maryland. After five days, the pair was apprehended. Pettitt was arrested and charged with statutory rape, while the girl was returned to her parents.
Pettitt pled guilty on Tuesday to one count of third-degree sexual assault, and prosecutors dropped seven other charges, including second-degree sexual assault.
If family groups are really interested in protecting children from the dangers of online casinos, regulation cannot possibly be less effective than banning Internet gambling. The ban has been in place for years, and yet obviously, children are not deterred by it.
Regulation would require secure and vigilant programs designed to prevent underage access. That would do far more to shelter children than leaving them unshielded in a Wild West atmosphere, which is what the UIGEA has created.
