Rep. Joe Barton re-introduces Internet Poker Freedom Act

Friday June 26,2015 :  BARTON IS BACK WITH POKER LEGALISATION BILL
 
Texas Rep. Joe Barton re-introduces Internet Poker Freedom Act.
 
There's a sense of deja vu about American online gambling bills, which appear to be regularly introduced, fail and are then re-introduced in a subsequent legislative season, and that is the case with Texas Representative Joe Barton and in the latest iteration of his Internet Poker Freedom Act.
 
On Thursday Barton was back again with his HR2888 measure, which seeks to federally legalise online poker in a licensed and regulated environment in which individual states can participate….or not.
 
This is the third time that Barton has introduced his proposal to Congress; in previous years it has received little support or traction, failing to make it out of committee stage.
 
In a presser accompanying the bill, Barton says his aim is to "…restore the rights of people to play the “all-American” game, while at the same time protecting them from fraud. H.R. 2888 also mandates the implementation of technology that prohibits underage players, provides aid for problem gamblers, and preserves state’s rights.
 
“My bill is needed now more than ever. It creates one federal standard that protects the integrity of the game and the financial interests of players – while protecting American consumers from nefarious and predatory overseas gambling operations.
 
“Players deserve to have a legal, on-shore system that makes sure everyone is playing in an honest, fair structure. The complex web of state and local regulations now being devised could leave players at risk. I believe H.R. 2888, the Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2015, creates a federal standard and provides players proper protections. At the same time, it includes safeguards for children and problem gamblers."
 
Industry observers hold out little hope for Barton's latest attempt.