One Step Forward, Two Steps Back in NJ?

The New Jersey State Commission of Investigation and the Office of the Attorney General last week released a hefty joint evaluation of computer-related crimes which includes a close examination of Internet gambling. The Computer Crime report includes a recommendation to prohibit Net gambling under state laws should federal legislation prohibiting Internet gambling not pass.

The report's recommendation is based largely upon a May 31 public meeting regarding Internet gambling that was held by the state Assembly Commerce, Tourism, Gaming and Military and Veterans' Affairs committee. The meeting came about following Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina's recommendation that the feasibility of regulating online gambling through new legislation by explored.

Azzolina told IGN that he hasn't read the report yet, but felt that it would have little effect on his efforts, a belief echoed by former New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Director Frank Catania. "Legislators don't see them (the report's authors) as credible in situations like these," Catania said.

Despite support by Catania and others in New Jersey for regulating Internet gambling, a solid opposition still exists. The Computer Crime report recommends supporting current legislation that prohibits Internet gambling in New Jersey as an unauthorized activity and preventing any attempts to legalize it within the state's borders. Further, the authors recommend developing state laws to prohibit Internet gambling, but were pragmatic enough to recommend, should federal and state attempts to ban Internet gambling fail, that "the regulation of Internet gambling should be expeditiously be reconsidered."

Click here to view the complete Computer Crime report in PDF format. (Pages 107-120 and page 146 address Internet gambling.)