Should online gambling be legal? Does the billion-dollar industry represent a new growth area for Nevada's casinos or is it another way to rip-off consumers and children? Find the answers to these and other questions in this package produced by journalism students at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Congress
to vote on bill that would outlaw online gambling
nationally Online
gambling already illegal in Nevada Sports
betting a lure online and off Australia
chooses to regulate, rather than outlaw, online
gambling An
interview with the operator of an online casino
guide How
online gambling sites work for
users, by Alyssa Exline and
How
they work techically, by
Zhizhong Li In an effort to protect its
monetary mainstay, Nevada may have missed the largest
jackpot yet. Online gambling, which can turn any
computer into a slot machine, any home into a sports
betting hall and any town into Las Vegas, has the
potential to rake in billions of dollars in upcoming
years, financial experts say. But it's Nevada's gambling
hubs that won't be capitalizing on the
venture. Pending legislation, lobbied by
Nevada's gaming alliances, will make it illegal for
online gambling operators to set up shop in the United
States. Even harsher rules exist in the silver state,
where placing a bet on the Internet is a misdemeanor
crime. And while Nevada fights to keep the
cash flowing to its casinos, others are cashing in the
online chips elsewhere. Online gambling operators have
escaped to small Caribbean islands and third world
countries to bring their business ventures to the public.
Americans click on cards in their living rooms, sending
their money overseas. Operating across the border in poor
countries with little regulatory influence has given the
online gambling industry limited credibility. Australia decided to change that in
April 1999, when it hosted the country's first online
gambling business with plans to open at least one in each
of its seven states. With governmental oversight,
Australia has lent credibility to the industry, pulling
it out from the underground status it was born
in. So far, the financial impacts to
Nevada's cash cow by increased venues in the gambling
world are being down played. Yet the rise in legalized gambling
across the country and the growth of gambling online may
carry heavy personal costs. Social implications such as the
ease of accessibility for gambling could cause addictions
and bankruptcies in homes worldwide. Keeping children
playing with Pokemon cards instead of poker chips could
present real challenges in the online world, where
gamblers remain nameless, faceless and
ageless. The stories in this package add
names and faces to this important public issue. We
welcome your suggestions and comments: outpost@scs.unr.edu. Introduction by Mary
Thompson Gambling
addictions cause plenty of pain in
Reno Children
especially vulnerable to online
gambling Nevada
casino operators not worried by online
gambling Profile
of an online gambler A
first-time online gambler tells her
story Awesome
list of links related to online
gambling Take our online poll:
Should
online gambling be legal? View responses
to our poll Recent articles on online
gambling: From the Washington Post, May 31,
2000 (summary provided by Educause): SPECIAL INTERESTS CHIP AWAY AT
ONLINE GAMBLING BILL Online gambling special interest
groups have chipped away at the Internet Gambling
Prohibition bill so much it is in danger of collapsing.
The bill, originally intended to
place limits on Internet gambling, now contains
exceptions for parimutuel horse racing, for dog racing,
and jai lai. Other groups, including Native Americans
with lotteries, also are seeking exemptions. One
congressional aide says the bill is "in trouble."
Several religious and conservative
groups, including the Christian Coalition and the
Traditional Values Coalition, have decided to pull their
support for the legislation because so many exceptions
have been added to the bill. The casino industry, fearing
greater competition from Internet gambling, remains in
support of it. Ever try a game online? Try
Java
Draw Poker From Wired News, May 31,
2000: It's an age-old social argument
with a new-age twist: how to regulate online gambling. In
Australia's Outback, a tiny casino is at the center of
the debate. Stewart Taggart reports from Alice Springs,
Australia. Watch a clip from the new kid's
movie: The Million Dollar Kid Join our discussion on online
gambling: Message
Board
By Lisa Aland and Claire Tapia
By Charlie Hammond and Brian Vance
By Stu McCann
By Sadie Jo Smokey
By Dosia Blackerby
By Brad Horn
By Frankie Vigil
By Stacy McCarthy
By Michael Alian
By Jerri Conrad
By Kate Slobach
