Frank Online Casino Bill May Be Pushed Back

A former US Senator from Nevada thinks there's too much major legislation currently in front of Congress for Barney Frank's online casino bill to advance to debate before year's end.

Overriding national policy debates on issues such as repairing the economy and health care may continue to force Barney Frank's bill proposing online casino regulation to the back burner. While Frank himself has been adamant about the bill reaching committee this year, speculation has arisen that the measure might have to wait until the new year, as Internet gambling fails to become a top priority.

Frank and his spokesmen have insisted several times that they would not let the online gambling bill be put aside. Frank had said it would advance to his House Financial Services Committee shortly after Easter, then around Independence Day. The current target is September, but no confirmation of that is forthcoming.

But Richard Bryan, a former US Senator from Nevada who now works as a gaming attorney, sees the battles over huge programs such as national health care preventing online casino licensing from becoming a point of focus anytime soon.

"(Debate on the bill) probably won't happen this year," Bryan told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Bryan commented that his experience in Washington led him to the realization that Congress moves at a "glacial pace."

Bryan said that the growing interest of land-based casinos and their powerful lobbying representative, the American Gaming Association, in online casino regulation may help prod things along.

"My sense, however, is that there is a gathering, gradual momentum where, eventually, Internet gaming will occur and be regulated," Bryan said. "I'm just not sure if it has reached critical mass yet."