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Predictably, the religious right is mobilising to oppose Congressman Barney Frank's proposed legislation aimed at regulating and licensing online gambling in the United States.
According to the publication Christianity Today several Christian groups signed a letter this week urging politicians in the House of Representatives to oppose Frank's HR 2267 Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act.
But a sweeping general comment that is not supported by scientific research and fact is made when the letter claims: "The prevalence of gambling addiction is three to four times higher with Internet gambling versus non-internet gambling. ... online gambling represents a highly invasive and reckless form of taxation dependent on human exploitation."
It's a common, and never substantiated, claim made by opponents of online gambling.
Signers of the letter included Focus on the Family's Dr. Richard Land; president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Gary Bauer; president of American Values, Tom Minnery of Focus on the Family and Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council.
The letter also urges the House to oppose HR 2267, a bill that would put the controversial regulations supporting the UIGEA on hold until December 2010.
