By Mike Godsey

Online gamblers and sports betting firms are scurrying to find ways to continue investing on the betting odds in lieu of recent controversial US Congress legislation. Last Friday, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist gave a classic illustration in pork barrel legislation when, on the last bill on the last day of Congress, Frist attached the so-called Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act to a popular and totally unrelated port authority bill.

It appears many online sports betting aficionados are opening bank and credit card accounts outside the United States. Jay Bailey, director of development for the National Right to Online Gaming, which represents 20,000 online gamblers, said Internet networking technology is being developed in countries outside the United States.  Industry insiders say simple adjustment can skirt what Cy McCormick of MasterLockLine.com calls “Prohibition of the 21^st Century”.

Brian Gould of BetOnSports360.com believes American sports bettors will simply resume using local “outlaw” bookmakers. However he fears that domestic terrorist cells see the crackdown on legitimate online betting firms as a gift horse to open local bookmaking operations since there will be no paper trail. “Frist is the biggest ally terrorist financiers could possibly have in Congress”.