IS LEGALISED ONLINE POKER POSSIBLE IN THE U.S. THIS YEAR?

Thursday August 18,2011 :  New York Post quotes sources who believe it may be
 
The New York Post opines that the legalization of online poker at federal level could take place as soon as this year, quoting unnamed sources close to Congress.
 
The source told the newspaper this week: “I think there is becoming a feeling in Congress that this is something that needs to be regulated and be done. I believe there is a possibility a bill will pass towards the end of the year.”
 
The momentum for a legalization initiative is clear in at least three ways, the newspaper reports:
 
* Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican Jon Kyl have recently urged the Justice Department to stop individual state efforts to legalise gambling If states act on their own, that could disrupt the federal effort.
 
* Large Republican donor and Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson is now on board with such a federal move, seeing this as an opportunity to grow sales. Adelson is close to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who will be important for gambling advocates to win over.
 
* House Speaker John Boehner is another important Congressional leader to get on board, and his long-time aide, Lee Askew, earlier this year became vice president of government affairs for the American Gaming Association.
 
The report notes that arch anti-online gambling opponent Sen. Jon Kyl has moderated his approach to the pastime, indicating a possible change of heart towards legalising online poker as a game mainly of skill.
 
It also notes that Sen. Jay Rockefeller last month in an effort to win a debt ceiling extension proposed legalising Internet gambling, saying it could raise an estimated $41.8 billion over 10 years, and an estimated additional $30 billion for states, along with 17 other ideas.