Is online gambling "inevitable"?

Hartford, Conn. (WTNH) - Governor Malloy says internet gambling in Connecticut is inevitable , but top legislative leaders are questioning that.

He says it could help to save jobs at the state's two casinos, but others are saying it could be a job killer.

The legislative session starts in four weeks and this topic is already shaping up to be a dominant issue.

There are hundreds of overseas online gambling sites you can visit on your computer.   

Current U.S. law forbids U.S. banks from processing financial transactions for online gambling, but some people find a way around that.

Governor Malloy says a U.S. Justice Department decision last month clears the way for U.S. based internet gambling and there's nothing that can stop it, so Connecticut must get aboard or lose out on the revenue. Malloy implied that it could harm the employment prospects for thousands of employees at the state's two Native-American operated casinos by draining gambling dollars away from them if they are not allowed to participate.

"I think the Governor's connection that twenty thousand jobs at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are going to be lost if we don't have internet gambling is a big stretch," said Senator John McKinney.

"New Jersey is talking about having the appropriate legislation in a matter of weeks for online gambling," said Malloy.

The chairman of the Mohegan Tribe says "The bottom line is people are playing online now -- just without any legal protection or revenue to our governments."

But it's not just the Republican leader in the State Senate that is questioning this. The Democratic State Senate President Pro Tem, the highest ranking state legislator, is also not very enthusiastic about the idea.

"We may actually lose more jobs at the casinos if that speeds the decline of revenue in Connecticut," Senator Don Williams said.

"Governor Malloy wants everybody to believe that this Department of Justice opinion means that interstate gambling is a 'done deal' and that nothing can be done to stop it and that's simply not true," Senator McKinney said.

Many call internet gambling insidious and addictive and that it should be forbidden despite the money that could be made for the state.

"It would be a good thing that the state gets the money but I don't think on line gambling is a good idea," said Newington resident Margaret Taylor. "We have enough gambling already."

"I think that there's money to be made, absolutely, and we could definitely use it but I fear that already with the casinos in the area that gambling might become an issue for more and more people," said Vernon resident Bryan Avery.

The CEO at Foxwoods tells News 8 that they fully support the Governor's efforts relating to internet gambling.