UK Groups Launching Grassroots Campaign For Online Gambling Regulation in US

International Accounting firm Baker Tilly has created a pact with UC Group, a payment services company which holds the technology to verify geographic location and age of gamblers, in an effort to help the advancement of regulating the multi-billion dollar industry of online gambling. The project will be called, the "Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative."

Initiative spokesman Jeff Sandman, of Hyde communications, stated,"The Initiative is both to educate parts of the public as well as to garner grassroots support from other companies, organizations, and individuals for the legislation."

The legislation, of course, is referring to House Financial Services Chairman Rep. Barney Frank's proposed bill to overturn last years legislation passed by Congress to crackdown on online gambling.

UC Group currently has the technology to know not only know the age and location of bettors, but also to detect compulsive gambling, as well as money laundering, a system that would certainly suit Frank's bill very well.

According to Jeffrey Oldham, a senior vice president at Direct Impact, a consultant group specializing in grassroots mobilization,"This is the first time I've heard of grassroots being used for a non-traditional issue, I think it will be interesting to see whether members of Congress will listen."

The two companies have set up a web site at www.safeandsecureig.com for anyone needing further information on the Initiative.



2007-05-08