Online gambing a new frontier for taxes

    Earlier this summer the CEO of Betonsports, an online gaming company that specializes in online poker, David Carruthers was arrested by the FBI in Texas while changing flights from England to Puerto Rico. He was arrested by the FBI for charges related to his company taking bets on the Internet from American citizens. This was a historic arrest for many in our government today, as it sets an example for those who are involved in online gambling, such as online poker, that the government can and will prosecute those gambling online to the fullest extent of the law. Some saw it as a show for the Justice Department to flex their muscle, while others saw it as a blow against a up-and-coming industry trying to get into the American rat race. Shortly after the arrest, a flurry of press releases hit the waves and news agencies showing their support for the arrest from over zealous politicians.             Politicians have called gambling many things, ranging from unethical to sinful. Many politicians, especially those in the South, have used anti-gambling campaigns as a large part of their platform. Ralph Reed, former director of the Christian Coalition and former leader of the Georgia Republican party made a job out of it, lobbying against Casinos in Washington D.C. Mr. Reed also ran for Lt. Governor of Georgia in the primary earlier this year, and was thought to be the easy victor. Mr. Reed was ousted by Casey Cagle though, due to a little problem over ties with Jack Abramoff, who was involved in one of the largest fraud and bribery scandals involving politicians to hit this decade. To put it bluntly though, Southern politicians are known for their strong dislike for gambling. Many grumble about how it ruins family values and turns cities into beds of sin. To many, lately the new industry of online gambling has become an intolerable and widespread problem that ‘must be dealt with.’
    These same politicians though always seem to smile when one brings up the HOPE scholarship. The HOPE scholarship, like many other states, has done Georgia unbelievable amounts of good. It has raised not only funding for K-12 education, but has also enabled many students to go to college, including me. But what is often overlooked by over-zealous politicians is how we get this money. It’s not news that we get it through state- held gambling. Lottery ticket sales fuel our educational sector. It always makes me laugh when I hear politicians using the anti-gambling speech on voters, and then turning around and praising HOPE. Here’s a novel idea: Judge equally. Instead of  being hypocritical and closing off an industry from our economy while gaining revenue from gambling, try this: Allow online gambling in America, and tax the companies while giving money to the education system. You create a new system of the economy, raise education revenue and do what America values most, promote equality. More politicians should take that concept to heart. As well as realize $150.00 doesn’t cut it for book money.
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Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 1 2006. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry