SOURCE: PRNewswire

(Washington, D.C.) — A new regulation issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury exempts casinos from having to report currency transactions reports, required for transactions involving $10,000 or more, on jackpots from slot machines, video lottery terminals and other electronic gaming devices.

This June 26 regulation is significant because it reaffirms the central role played by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in regulating financial transactions involving casino activity in the United States.

The Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, recently introduced by Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), assigns FinCEN the responsibility to protect consumers and the financial system from the risk of Internet gambling abuses through the introduction of a robust licensing regime.

"It is clear that FinCEN is already regulating financial transactions involving land-based casinos in the United States," said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesman for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

"It makes sense for FinCEN to extend this role to also monitor and regulate the integrity of the Internet version of the gambling industry."

In providing the exemptions, FinCEN reiterated its authority over land-based casinos, noting that they are cash-intensive businesses that include providing customer deposit or credit accounts, transmitting and receiving funds transfers directly from other financial institutions, check cashing and currency exchanging.

"As such, casinos are vulnerable to abuse by money launderers, terrorist financiers, and tax evaders."