Online Casino News:  Lawmakers Making Moves on Legalization
by Joanne R Monday, February 15, 2010  at 10:32 PM
 
The poker players in the United States have long maintained that they are not subject to the rules and regulations set forth by the UIGEA or the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. They have challenged the government’s position on it time and time again as they say that the UIGEA made payment processing to online casinos illegal, but they are not gambling. They maintain that they are a skill based game and therefore should not have to answer to the UIGEA.
 
There have been several states within the US that have seen their courts rule in favor of the poker players, and have ruled that poker playing is a skill based game and is therefore legal within their respective states. But this is not an idea that has been accepted nationally. So they have continued to fight for their rights as a legal online casino entity that is separate from the online gambling issue.
 
Rep. Barney Frank has been a long proponent of legalizing the online casino and poker industry, and he is not alone. There are many legislators out there that even if they don’t think online casino gambling should be legal – they think that poker should be. There is currently legislation in Congress that would legalize and regulated online casino poker and would negate the UIGEA. Those that support it say that it could be a tough fight, but if they can show people how much money they stand to see from it from taxes then they might feel better about approving it.
 
There are several supporters of the online casino poker bill and Frank is just one of them. There are supporters from both sides of the aisle which tells you that it stands a real chance of being legalized.