On Wednesday, the Finance and Revenue Committee in Washington, D.C., voted 3-2 to send the jurisdiction’s Internet gambling legislation to a full council vote for repeal.
Council member Jack Evans, an opponent to the online gambling legislation, voted to repeal and told The Washington Post, "It gives [council members] an opportunity to vote up or down with full knowledge of what they’re voting for."
The full council vote could happen as early as next week, and according to The Washington Post, nine of the 12 council members will vote or are inclined to vote for the repeal.
Michael A. Brown, the council member who added the Internet gaming initiative to the 2010 budget bill that was passed, defended the legislation in the committee meeting, saying that casino interests had influence in getting the legislation to the repeal vote.
According to The Washington Post, Brown believes if casinos get their way, Internet gaming "will be federalized" and D.C. "won’t get any of the revenue." He didn’t, however, call out any casinos specifically.
The Washington Post says Brown is planning to reintroduce his legislation if the repeal is successful, but he may have some obstacles to get around. Marie Drissel, an activist opposed to the Internet gaming bill said, "We’re going to put the brick wall back up if Michael Brown comes back with the same type of legislation."
Council member Muriel Bowser says it was the way that the legislation passed that was worrisome to D.C. residents, admitting that residents "aren’t necessarily opposed to Internet gambling generally."
The Washington Post has more.
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*Photo courtesy of WashingtonCityPaper.com
