Much to the delight of many online gamblers and after opposition from various sources, the US state of Minnesota decided to drop its action whereby they attempted to force internet providers which included Verizon, AT & T and Comcast to refuse access to state residents to a “blacklist” of two hundred gambling websites.
It has been reported by ERGmagazine.com that there was lots of opposition faced by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety from various bodies which included America’s Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (IMEGA) lobby group. This group wrote to the eleven Internet Service Providers last month advising them not to take any notice of the order. They also requested the District Court in Minneapolis, which is Minnesota’s biggest city, to stop the enforcement of the order.
Representative Pat Garafolo issued the announcement that the attempt to block access to the gambling websites was dropped after they had reconsidered the legal position. He stated “This is a great day for internet freedom. In the spirit of cooperation and in recognition of the rescission of these notices, I am more than happy to withdraw my bill and in its place sponsor a discussion aimed at establishing a framework for regulating and licensing the online gaming industry.