Every spring, the excitement and drama of March Madness grips not only the collegiate sports world but millions of sports enthusiasts throughout the country. Various media outlets tug on our collective heartstrings with stories of athletes who have overcome adversity to reach this pinnacle of sporting achievement. They tell about Cinderella teams that are advancing in the NCAA tournament against all odds. The best of collegiate athletics is on display.

But with time, a darker side to high-stakes athletics competition has emerged. Too often, in the world of sports, and increasingly in college athletics, Americans open the newspaper or turn on the television only to be met with stories of scandal -- star athletes involved in point shaving, college-age bookies, illegal Internet sports betting.

America's current collegians are the first "on-line" generation, many of them having grown up with personal computers in their homes and the Internet at their fingertips. No longer do they have to leave the comfort of their living rooms or dorm rooms and make the affirmative decision to travel to a casino to gamble -- they can access the casino from their personal computers and with it all of the problems of addiction, crime, bankruptcy and family difficulties that ultimately stem from gambling.

Current law already prohibits gambling over telephone wires. However, because the Internet does not always travel over telephone wires, these laws, which were written before the invention of the World Wide Web, have become outdated. I have introduced H.R. 3215, the Combating Illegal Gambling Reform and Modernization Act, which cracks down on illegal gambling by updating current laws to cover all forms of interstate gambling and account for new technologies. The bill also defines a "bet or wager" to include wagering on sporting events, lotteries and games of chance. A "bet or wager" does not include fantasy sports leagues.

In recent years, illegal gambling on the Internet has expanded into a lucrative business that each year drains billions of dollars out of the U. S. economy and costs tens of thousands of jobs. In addition, illegal gambling serves as a

vehicle for money laundering, undermines families, and threatens the ability of states to enact and enforce their own laws.

Many of the 1,400 illegal gambling sites attempt to avoid the application of United States law by locating themselves off-shore and out of our jurisdiction, providing a nearly undetectable harbor for criminal enterprise. These illegal, off-shore gambling Web sites are unlicensed, untaxed and unregulated.

Gambling currently is illegal in the United States unless regulated by the states. However, the development of the Internet has made gambling easily accessible. It is common for illegal gambling businesses to operate freely until law enforcement finds and stops them. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice recently testified that Internet gambling serves as a vehicle for money-laundering activities and can be exploited by terrorists to launder money.

The Internet is a revolutionary tool that dramatically affects the way we communicate, conduct business and access information. The Internet currently is expanding by leaps and bounds; however, it has not yet come close to reaching its true potential as a medium for commerce, communication and education.

One of the main reasons that the Internet has not reached its full potential is that many people view it as a wild technological frontier, with no safeguards to protect children and no legal infrastructure to prevent criminal activity online. The ability of the World Wide Web to penetrate every home and community across the globe has both positive and negative implications. While it is an invaluable source of information and means of communication, it also can override community values and standards.

The legislation I have introduced, which is co-sponsored by a remarkable 155 members of Congress, Republican and Democrat alike, is awaiting Congressional consideration. Contact your member of Congress and urge them to support H.R. 3215, the Combatting Illegal Gambling Reform and Modernization Act.

Online gambling currently is a $1 billion per year business and continues to grow every year. With its spread comes the onset of crime, bankruptcy and addiction. The well-being of our communities, the future of our young people, and the integrity of collegiate and professional athletics programs are at stake. It is time to shine a bright light on Internet gambling in this country and to put a stop to this situation before it gets any worse.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte represents Virginia's 6th district in the United States House of Representatives. Those interested in supporting H.R. 3215 may contact their representative through the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202/224-3121. Comments also may be registered through the Internet at www.house.gov/writerep .