The New York Attorney General announced last week that ten additional banks
have signed agreements to block cardholders from using their credit cards
for transactions identified as online gambling. The initiative began in
June of 2002 when the Attorney General obtained Citibank's agreement to
block such transactions. The ten new banks have agreed to block these
transactions, and have agreed to pay a combined total of $335,000 in costs
to New York State. Among the ten banks announced this week: OR-based First
Consumers National Bank; SD-based First Premier Bank; UT-based Merrick
Bank; CT-based Peoples Bank; TX-based USAA Federal Savings Bank; US Bank;
and Wells Fargo. Meanwhile, a Tennessee a state committee passed an
amendment this week to ban the purchase of lottery tickets with a credit
card. The Tennessee lottery implementation committee, made up of members
from both the House and Senate, voted to remove language that would have
permitted charging lottery tickets. A amendment had been attached to the
lottery legislation that required consumers to buy at least $10 in other
retail goods to be eligible to charge a lottery ticket. Members of the
committee noted the rising number of bankruptcy filings. Bankruptcies in
Tennessee are up about 7% this year.
The New York Attorney General announced last week that ten additional banks
have signed agreements to block cardholders from using their credit cards
for transactions identified as online gambling. The initiative began in
June of 2002 when the Attorney General obtained Citibank's agreement to
block such transactions. The ten new banks have agreed to block these
transactions, and have agreed to pay a combined total of $335,000 in costs
to New York State. Among the ten banks announced this week: OR-based First
Consumers National Bank; SD-based First Premier Bank; UT-based Merrick
Bank; CT-based Peoples Bank; TX-based USAA Federal Savings Bank; US Bank;
and Wells Fargo. Meanwhile, a Tennessee a state committee passed an
amendment this week to ban the purchase of lottery tickets with a credit
card. The Tennessee lottery implementation committee, made up of members
from both the House and Senate, voted to remove language that would have
permitted charging lottery tickets. A amendment had been attached to the
lottery legislation that required consumers to buy at least $10 in other
retail goods to be eligible to charge a lottery ticket. Members of the
committee noted the rising number of bankruptcy filings. Bankruptcies in
Tennessee are up about 7% this year.