Minnesota Retreats Away From Internet Gambling Ban
After a weekend of rumors that Minnesota regulators were prepared to withdraw their order to ISPs blocking online gambling sites, state officials confirmed the victory for Internet casino operators. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety sent a new letter to Internet service providers Monday, asking for cooperation in figuring regulatory ideas for online gambling.
In response, iMEGA dropped its lawsuit challenging the validity of the original order. The Poker Players Alliance continued its celebration begun Friday, when the group's site erroneously pronounced the block removed.
"I believe it may be more appropriate to resolve this problem by working to create clear and effective government policies concerning regulation of gambling," said John Willems, head of the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division of the DPS. The statement came across as spin control rather than sincerity, after Willems had publicly envisioned expanding the original 200 site ban to include "thousands of sites."
Legal experts had apparently advised Minnesota authorities that their attempt to use the Wire Act as backing for the command to ISPs to block online gambling sites would not survive a court battle. Still, some swore to continue to try to twist laws and regulations to fit their own warped definitions of what needs to be done.
"We have not folded our hand," said Andy Skoogman, a spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, at which Internet censorship is still a desirable goal. "The action raised awareness of the broader issue about who is policing the Internet and protecting the consumer."
