[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 39 (Monday, April 3, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H1633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NCAA AND ILLEGAL GAMBLING

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, last week before a hearing at the Senate 
Commerce Committee, I voiced my strong opposition to legislation 
currently pending before both houses of Congress which would ban 
college sports betting in just Nevada. While I oppose this legislation, 
I support the goal of maintaining the integrity of college athletics. 
But there is simply no evidence, Mr. Speaker, to suggest that the 
highly regulated and legal sports betting industry in Nevada is 
responsible in any way for the illegal sports wagering and the point 
shaving scams that are taking place on our college campuses.
  Mr. Speaker, I challenge the NCAA, the leading supporter of this 
legislation, to look in the mirror. Certainly the numerous Final Four 
sweepstakes promoted by the NCAA and its corporate sponsors encourages 
illegal wagering on college sports more than the existence of Nevada's 
strictly regulated sports books. Let us not punish a respected industry 
for a societal problem. Active and effective enforcement of current 
laws is the only way to stop point shaving scams and illegal gambling 
on our college campuses.

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