The problem is that this is a clear issue of states rights vs. federal control. In the past, gambling has been one of those things left up to the states for the most part. The only time the feds get involved is when problems cross state lines and to collect taxes on gambling winnings. Now however, we have the federal government taking the questionable step of trying to regulate and enforce not only state laws, but international laws simply because the internet makes this particular form of interstate commerce very easy to do from home.
Why does the internet force the federal government to interfere with something that has been left to the states for so long? Not only that, what does it do to the relationship the federal and state govts have had with gambling on protected indian reservations?
As an example, let's say a guy from a state where gambling is not legal, to another state where gambling is not legal, goes to a reservation, logs onto the hotel internet connection and gambles online? And then what happens when they take their winnings home and file state/fed taxes on gambling winnings, since those winnings were not actually earned through licensed gambling activities on the reservation?
Basically it's a fool's errand the fed govt has embarked on, interfering in an activity that has been, and should remain, a matter for the states to decide. Short of dismantling the entire internet, there isn't really a good way for the feds to regulate this and their attempt not only is one more intrusion on daily life, it's not going to be particularly effective except to irritate otherwise law-abiding citizens.
I'm convinced that there are so many intruding federal laws that everyone in the US is either a felon, or will be shortly. I accidentally took a multi-tool on an airline flight in my carry-on bag a year or two ago... Now I know what it feels like to be a felon and knowing that my govt has labeled my everyday, non-violent and not "anti-social" behavior as criminal has immeasurably decreased my respect for the laws of the United States. I'm not the only one.
I can't imagine what that 4 year old felony sexual predator (the one who got charged with sexual assault for hugging his teacher) is going to grow up thinking about our so-called nation of laws...
We're changing from a nation that obeys laws out of a sense of honor and duty to a nation that routinely hides daily violations of law and obeys only out of fear of consequences when they think they might get caught. That's very sad. The next step is what the UK is going through, where entire classes of people commit violent anti-social offenses simply because there are no consequences, because the govt is busy coming up with ways to harass people who are otherwise law abiding.