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Governor Pataki likes online casinos when it comes to horseracing

The hypocrisy of US federal government attempts to stifle or ban online casinos - at least some forms of online casinos - was thrown into sharp focus again this week with the announcement that gamblers in the state of New York will soon have two new ways to bet on their favorite horses: Cell phones and on the internet, like at online casinos.

A state law allowing such online casinos wagers was signed off by Gov. George Pataki in late July, reports Times Union and supporters say it should "...help capture millions of dollars in horse racing bets that now go to other states or private online wagering operations."

Despite the alleged moral and criminal dangers to Americans represented by online casinos and sports betting, legislators have for years wheeled and dealed on exemptions to their online casinos banning efforts when it comes to online state lotteries and the powerful horseracing sector. The lure of big revenues from online casinos wagering has clearly not been ignored by either politicians or governing bodies and this week leaders in the sector appeared to be pleased with the new state law.

Governor Pataki's enabling law for horserace betting at online casinos and over the telephone supports an effort by the state's horse racing industry to "...reach out to younger bettors, including members of the Internet-savvy Generation Y as well as baby boomers who increasingly use computers for shopping, communicating and other tasks," Times Union reports.

Stating the obvious, Daniel Wray, executive director of legislative affairs for the New York City OTB said: "This is a very big win for the entire racing industry. This was already being done under our noses," Wray said, explaining that countless New Yorkers were believed to be making horse racing bets with online casinos even though it was "technically illegal" to do so.

"The Internet has become such a big part of the way people live, and we need to be able to change with the times," said Bill Nader, commenting on the new online casinos information, chief operating officer for the New York Racing Association, which holds the franchise for horse racing in the state.

Mike Connery, president and CEO of Capital District Regional Off-Track Betting Corp., said the meteoric rise of online casinos has "decimated us over the past couple of years," taking a sizable chunk of business from the state's OTB parlors to online casinos.

Online casinos are considered more profitable for the industry because it doesn't require phone operators to take the bets.

Capital OTB got a wake-up call about the growth of online casinos about five months ago at its popular Tele-Theater on Central Avenue in Albany. Workers at the betting parlor one day found the windshields of patrons' cars in the parking lot plastered with fliers urging people to open accounts with an online gambling firm. The company offered players $200 if they opened an account with $200 of their own, said Connery.

 
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