It’s starting already, the Financial Anti-Terrorism Act sounds like it’s targetting terrorism, but the real targets are Americans. (See Terror Bill Limits Gambling, Too .)

Democrats were similarly split, with ranking member saying that college students must be shielded from gambling’s lure.
“The chief users of Internet gambling are not terrorists, they are our youths,” said Rep. John LaFalce (D-New York). “Lots of different kids are given credit cards — not one — multiple cards. It’s easy to gamble from dormitory rooms, or with wireless connections from campus quads, or with Palm Pilots any place.”

During the 90-minute debate, liberal icon Rep. Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) sounded almost libertarian. “Too many people who disapprove of gambling want to ban it,” Frank said. “It’s not generally been the policy of the U.S. government to tell people how to spend their money.”

The bill would ban credit card companies from issuing card numbers to be used on gambling websites. Credit card firms and banks would be liable if they have “actual knowledge” that they may be providing services to online casinos, a penalty that some members said went too far.

“The problem with actual knowledge is that a court can assume this,” said Castle, the sponsor of the unsuccessful amendment.

The only committee member who voted against the final bill was Rep. Ron Paul, a libertarian-leaning Republican from Texas.

Paul said the anti-gambling sections were about “whether the government should try and mold behavior. Over centuries governments have tried to do this…. Gambling is entertainment. We should not allow government to regulate entertainment.”