A Poker Only Online Gambling Bill
Copies of a 57 page draft bill have been circulating in Washington that seeks to amend the UIGEA to allow the licensing and regulation of only online poker. The other forms of online gambling are not covered. The requisite consumer protections for underage and responsible gambling have been provided for. The sponsor of the bill has not been named. However the Wall Street Journal is calling this draft bill “the Reid Bill”, stating that it has originated from the office of the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The Wall Street Journal has also claimed that the bill is backed by the large land casinos. No confirmation of this has been received from Senator Reid.
There is every possibility that such a poker only bill would be attached to a must pass bill and moved through both the Senate and the House in the lame duck session, while the Democrats still enjoy majority in the House. This was exactly how the UIGEA was passed by the Republicans in 2006 and the UIGEA Rules in 2008. But now at the other end of the stick the Republicans are crying foul. Ranking Members of important committees in the Senate and the House, including Spencer Bachus, Dave Camp and Lamar Smith have written to Harry Reid and House Majority Leader Mitch McConnell drawing their attention to this attempt which they state is “secretive, closed-door, undemocratic process” being undertaken to regain access to the US market. This stand taken by the Republicans has been dubbed in online poker forums as pot calling the kettle black.
As of this moment no one is forthcoming with certain information, but if the Democrats pull this off it will be a wonderful Christmas and New Years Gift to the online poker community. Even the land casinos, once antagonistic to online gambling now support an only online poker situation. The regular anti-UIGEA bill, HR 2267 sponsored by Barney Frank, is stuck. It was passed in the House sub committee earlier this year, but has no chance of passing a full House vote now that the Republicans have a majority there.
Similar Articles on Fuzion Poker
