Bill Excludes Online Casino Offenders
The new online casino gambling bill that passed through the House Financial
Services Committee has some elements that have watered down the initial
intention of the bill although the core of legalization of the industry remains
true. One of the key controversies spawned from revision of the bill in the
Committee stem from the fact that internet poker sites that have operated in the
US throughout the UIGEA will not be allowed licensing under the new regulatory
structure. This is a hotly debated addition because the PPA and several interest
groups claim that the UIGEA does not actually make internet poker illegal
because it is not akin to the offshore online casinos. Internet poker is
considered a game of skill by many so the currently operating US poker sites are
outraged that the new bill amendments will exclude them from the US market.
Some of the major international poker operators though are not concerned by the
wording that online casinos and internet poker sites that operated illegally are
banned from receiving licensing because these sites feel they have always
operated legally. PokerStars, a leader in the European and international markets
noted that the controversial UIGEA did not specifically ban internet poker as a
part of the illegal gambling activities and thus PokerStars’ current operations
within the US market remain entirely legal.
This new online casino gambling bill is designed to really clarify the
definitions regarding gambling in the US and give a much more structured
definition moving forward. A good number of industry analysts feel that the
provision about banning licensing of illegally operating gambling sites will
mainly apply to online casinos and sports betting companies that accept US
players – the first because of violation of the UIGEA and the latter because of
the US Wire Act.
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