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Internet Poker Could Push Through Congress

Fans of internet poker were extremely upset when Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) last year and effectively ended all of the online casinos and the internet poker targeted at U.S. citizens. But the issue is far from over for those seeking not only to completely the UIGEA, but to exclude games of skill such as poker, bridge, chess, mahjong, and more. Online casinos that offer services to U.S. citizens are few and far between, but the internet gambling poker sites are still there, and holding out hope that lobbyists can convince Congress that poker is a game of skill rather than a game of chance.

That is where this problem really started. Several state courts have already passed rulings that claim that Poker is in essence still a game of chance. A state Supreme Court judge ruled that though skill could affect the game of poker to an extent, chance deals the cards to the player, and for that reason the game is primarily chance. So that puts a damper on the online casinos that were still offering internet poker to U.S. players.

But poker has a powerful ally on its side. Robert Wexler, a Florida Congressmen, introduced a new bill to Congress that would not change the integrity of the UIGEA, but it would specify that games of skill are exempted from the restrictions. A spokesperson for Wexler commented on this new bill. He claims that in poker, “you win and lose based on your ability and it's a deserving distinction.”

This bill would be a step in the right direction for those state representatives presenting bills that offer alternatives to the ban that the UIGEA places on the online casino industry. Some of these alternatives bills include Barney Frank’s suggestions for licensing and regulation, and another bill that stresses the importance of spending a year researching online casino and internet gambling in the United States before coming to any more firm decisions.