Barney Frank, Smartest Man in Congress, Defends Online Gambling

When "Sixty Minutes" does not broach a topic they themselves made front page news a fortnight earlier, it shows how little time can be expected to be devoted to online gambling while mortgage foreclosures skyrocket and industries collapse.

Just two weeks after covering the cheating scandals at online poker rooms, "Sixty Minutes" ran a profile of the lead defender of online casinos in Congress, Barney Frank. Considering Frank's outspoken position in favor of letting individuals choose to decide whether to visit Internet gambling sites, it might have seemed curious that the subject never came up during the segment. What it really might be is significant.

The idea that Frank's stance on supporting and authoring bills promoting personal freedoms, including the right to play at online casinos and the right to smoke marijuana, did not make the profile may show Internet gaming fans the biggest obstacle in the way of legalization and regulation. Congress is expected to be much friendlier toward Frank's initiatives, a process that had already begun toward the end of the last session.

But economic catastrophes have become the gigantic mess dominating Frank's time as chairman of the Financial Services Committee. When "Sixty Minutes" does not broach a topic they themselves made front page news a fortnight earlier, it shows how little time can be expected to be devoted to online gambling while mortgage foreclosures skyrocket and industries collapse.

The show did mention Frank's reputation as possibly the smartest man in Congress. The profile revealed that Frank does not even use a computer, remarkable for a man who is the legislative hero of millions of computer gamblers. Truly, Frank is a man of conviction. He doesn't need to be interested in Internet gaming himself to say government has no business preventing citizens from enjoying themselves.

Perhaps the significant revenue stream available through regulation may call lawmakers' attention to the UIGEA debacle sooner rather than later. But online casino patrons had better continue practicing patience, as action to remove the ban may not be among the top priorities at this time.