The U.S. Senate will not vote on a bill to ban Internet gambling before the chamber takes its August recess. Supporters of the legislation were trying to push it through the Senate quickly following the arrest of David Carruthers, the chief executive of BETonSPORTS, on charges of racketeering and conspiracy. However, lawmakers are still working on the bill and will not be able to hold a floor vote before the Senate recesses for its August vacation.
Almost identical to legislation overwhelmingly approved earlier in July by the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republican-backed bill would prohibit most forms of Internet gambling and make it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites. Critics of the bill contend that it is an election-year appeal to the party's conservative base, but supporters claim legislation is needed to clarify that a 1961 federal law banning sports betting also covers an array of online gambling.
