North Dakota still pushing Internet Gaming Legislation

For the past few years, North Dakota's legislature has been flirting with legislation to regulate legal online gaming in their state. This article says they shouldn't do it. But I think they should.

As the article points out, people are gambling anyway, regardless of US attempts to stop it. The companies which host the gambling sites have just moved off shore to Antigua and other countries with less stringent laws.

Americans need to decide one of two things - either we can stop internet gambling or we cannot. If we can stop it, lets do that. But if we cannot, then we need to make internet gambling as safe as possible for those Americans that do gamble.

What does "making it safe" mean? First and foremost it means that the gambling companies should be subject to public scrutiny and audited so that players know they will not be cheated. Further, it means Americans should not be forced to send their money offshore in order to play. Rules should be put in place to ensure that children and minors are not exposed or allowed to play. And lastly, we should tax-the-hell out of the gambling companies. Why not pass legislation that taxes these companies at rates of 70 or 80%? Even at those rates, a "legal" place to play poker would attract far more players than those offshore.

At some point, we need to wake up and recognize that we're in a global marketplace. We will never control the laws of other countries, and the internet brings down all borders. Let's make the best of the situation we're in rather than denying that we're in it.