Free-market coalition urges Sessions, Pence to oppose online gambling ban

Watchdog.org reports on CEI’s coalition letter to the Vice President-elect and U.S. Attorney General nominee on an online gambling ban. 

Following attorney general nominee Jeff Sessions’ insistence Wednesday during his confirmation hearing that he was “shocked” at the Obama administration’s stance that the 1961 Interstate Wire Act doesn’t apply to online gambling, a coalition of free market groups is urging Sessions and Vice President-elect Mike Pence to reject calls for a ban.

The coalition argues a de facto prohibition on internet gambling was clearly not the intent of Congress in 1961, noting the Wire Act references wagers specifically on sporting events. (The letter does not note that in 1961 the internet was still decades away from existence.)

“Regulatory intervention now from the U.S. Department of Justice would represent a true violation of the legislative process,” the letter says. “Today, it’s online gambling, but in the future it might be gun and ammunition sales targeted by Congress or an over-zealous executive branch.”

The letter’s co-signers include Competitive Enterprise Institute, Institute for Liberty, Campaign for Liberty, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, Center for Freedom and Prosperity, Digital Liberty, Institute for Policy Innovation and the Rio Grande Foundation.

Read the full article at Watchdog.org.