Senate Online Casino Bill to Mirror Barney Frank Measures
Speaking in Washington as a part of the celebration of National Poker Week, Poker Players Alliance executive director John Pappas said a Senate companion bill to Barney Frank's measure to regulate online casinos will be forthcoming. Pappas said the bill will be introduced by Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, but did not commit to a time-frame.
Representative Frank has already authored two pieces of legislation designed to remove the UIGEA online gambling ban and license and regulate Internet casinos and poker rooms. The PPA is using the poker celebration to generate grass roots support for Frank's efforts.
Frank's bills were to have been brought into committee for discussion after the Fourth of July Congressional recess, but pressing economic matters forced the delay of debate over the online casino proposals until September.
A new bill by Menendez would help speed up approval, if the Senate bill can advance more quickly than its House counterpart has. If both bills can reach chamber floors and pass a vote before the winter break, then only reaching compromise on differences in the bills would need to be addressed.
Anti-gambling groups seem to be taking a delaying strategy, unsure of the results if a vote were allowed to occur.
The UIGEA ban on payment processing for online gambling is facing judicial and political attack as well as the legislative measures. Officials from the European Union have demanded it be dropped, and a court challenge is ongoing before the US Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
