A proposed repeal of Internet gambling in the District passed its committee and appears headed for approval by the full D.C. Council next week before the first games have even been made available. The repeal passed by a 3-2 vote and Committee Chairman Jack Evans said he believes the bill will have the four additional votes it needs — including the bill’s two sponsors — to pass the full council next week.
Council members who voted for the repeal Wednesday said they did so because they did not like the fact that online gambling was legalized through a 2011 budget amendment that most of the council was unaware had been added.
At-Large Councilman David Catania said even though an inspector general’s report found nothing illegal about the process, the council needed to operate with better transparency, considering the recent scandal of former Councilman Harry Thomas Jr.
“We are not operating in isolation,” Catania said. “We are operating in an environment with a whole host of ethical issues including the first time a member has resigned in disgrace having stolen public money.”
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But At-Large Councilman Michael Brown, who added the gambling amendment to the budget, defended the process. His vote and Ward 8 Councilman Marion Barry’s were the two votes against the repeal.
“I don’t know who started saying that something was ‘snuck into’ the budget,” Brown said. “You can’t ‘sneak’ an amendment into the budget. … To what degree [my colleagues] knew or vetted it, I can’t say.”
Brown argued the District will lose out on a lucrative market if the council votes to repeal. He said online gambling has the ability to bring in thousands of dollars and national casino interests have already “raised their ugly heads” in D.C.
“This was going to be our thing, run by our government, regulated by us,” Brown said.
Though he couldn’t offer names of any specific gambling organizations, he said his office is looking into it.
Brown and Barry maintained the committee was “going against the will of the people” in approving the repeal, noting that Internet gambling had received community support at public hearings held in each ward last year.
If the council repeals the gaming, Brown plans to reintroduce it “as soon as possible,” adding that he might have a provision preventing casinos from entering i-gaming in D.C.
