Legalising Online Poker in the USA

[ngaskin]

It seems things have started to move in the right direction for the yanks!

A top US Democrat is launching an offensive to roll back legislation against online gambling passed under the Bush administration, saying the climate is ripe for Congress to unlock restraints that are "impinging" on the freedom of Americans.
Barney Frank, chairman of the House financial services committee, told the Financial Times he would reintroduce a bill in the next few weeks to establish a licensing and regulatory framework for online gambling operators.
Mr Frank said he also expected anti-gambling regulations, rushed through in the dying weeks of the Bush administration, to be included among the measures Congress will look to rescind.
A Democrat-led Congress and a more liberal political climate is persuading the Massachusetts congressman to make his twin-pronged assault on an issue that he said bore similarities to prohibition in the 1920s and 30s.
Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006, which tightened the laws against online gambling, forcing the exodus of listed companies operating in the US. At the same time, the Department of Justice began to arrest executives of some of these companies at airports and put them in court.
Mr Frank said: "I expect an Obama DoJ to be less zealous about locking people up. These outrageous arrests in transit - they should be stopping that stuff."
The UIGEA regulations, which make it illegal for financial institutions to process online gambling transactions, became final on January 19, but do not need to be implemented until December.
Mr Frank said the prospects for his bill, which was discussed in the last session of Congress but never voted on, were greater because public opinion was demanding the right to gamble online.

FT.com / UK - New move to legalise online gambling

[KRE8R]

Haha, wouldnt it be funny if online poker and casinos saved the American economy?

[stebee]

its about time to be fair, bieng from the UK the ban seems ridiculous to me, a key example of the stupidity is that you can all gamble on the lottery so why not gamble on poker

[mek882]

It's gonna take a lot of time to get this thing going. 2010 should be a good year for online poker (legally) if things go right, but I'm not holding my breath.

[impsblodds]

That makes me very happy. Politicians need to realize that they can make money to and everyone can be happy.

[LuckySeat]

The politicians don't want us to be able to spend money that they can't figure out how to tax the hell out of.

[mek882]

The politicians don't want us to be able to spend money that they can't figure out how to tax the hell out of.

Very true, very true indeed.

[obga]

The politicians don't want us to be able to spend money that they can't figure out how to tax the hell out of.

pretty much nailed it on the head...


while they give themselves rediculous raises in a shitty econonmy...we try to make a side living and they kill it...

[Moose82]

How would the US Gov tax you if PokerStars doesnt report what you win to them?

[mek882]

How would the US Gov tax you if PokerStars doesnt report what you win to them?

If the UIGEA gets reversed, ALL online poker sites would be required to report 'cashout earnings' from their players... I think, not sure.