New USA Online Poker Bill Planned

Written on 5/26/11 :

NEW U.S. ONLINE POKER BILL PLANNED
 
Texas Republican wants a federal solution
 
The Washington DC daily newspaper The Hill reports that a Republican politician representing Texas, Joe Barton, is planning the launch of a federal online poker legalization bill in consultation with the Poker Players Alliance advocacy group.
 
Barton told the newspaper that he has already engaged with the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, telling them that poker is a game of skill more than chance, and claiming that the discussion had indicated that legislators were not opposed to holding a hearing on the issue during the current session of Congress.
 
Once launched, Barton's bill will constitute a further federal attempt at legalization, with a bipartisan bill supported by Congressmen Barney Frank and John Campbell already in the works.
 
There are also reports of an internet poker proposal by the American Gaming Association, a trade body representing major Vegas land gambling interests known to be keen on entering the online market.
 
The AGA chief executive, Frank Fahrenkopf, is on record as saying that the Association hopes to have a draft before Congress within the next month.