Minnesota Representative Moves to Block Online Casino Ban
An announcement last week by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety that it had commanded Internet service providers within the state to block 200 online casino gambling sites aroused millions of residents, at least one of whom is in position to immediately do something about it. Today, Representative Pat Garofalo introduced a bill to the Minnesota legislature that would prevent the DPS from ordering the access of residents to Internet gambling sites withdrawn.
"The Department of Public Safety has to have better things to do with their time than to go after a college kid in his dorm room or some guy sitting in his basement spending a couple of hours playing online poker," Garofalo told the Star-Tribune.
The action had already been panned by respondents from all over the political, legal, and commercial spectres. Minnesota is attempting to employ the Federal Wire Act of 1961 as its basis for the order, even though that law has been interpreted by the US court system to apply strictly to sports betting.
Also, the letter advising ISPs that they would be expected to comply threatened them with Federal Communication Commission discipline if they did not follow through. But even the FCC's own website says the commission has no regulatory authority over the Internet.
"Demanding that a private-sector Internet service provider block access to websites is not a proper function of our state government," said Garofalo in a move cheered by civil libertarians.
John Willems of the DPS said of the bill, "It reflects a 180-degree turn from the current enforcement efforts towards illegal online gambling, particularly those that are being currently undertaken" by the DPS.
At least one legal expert said that change was away from unilateral executive decisions and toward legislative control of laws and a respect for citizens' rights and freedoms.
