After a fairly positive hearing at the end of October, a House of Representatives subcommittee will meet again next week to discuss online gambling and poker and any potential legislation.
The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade and its chairperson, Rep. Mary Bono-Mack of California, have scheduled more hearings on the issue of internet gambling for November 18th. After a hearing on October 25th, Rep. Bono-Mack stated that there would be follow-up hearings to continue the discussion, and the November hearing is timed almost perfectly. Next week’s hearing will be the day after a gathering of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, which will be meeting to discuss how tribes can get in on potential internet gambling.
That October hearing generated interest due to the fact that the overall message from the legislators was fairly positive. Texas Representative Joe Barton, the Republican who has pushed legislation that would regulate and legalize online poker in the United States and a member of Rep. Bono-Mack’s committee, led a strong charge and, for the most part, was backed by a host of witnesses who appeared before the committee.
Witnesses such as Parry Aftab, the chairwoman of the Board of Advisors for FairPlayUSA, and former Senator and current chairman of the Poker Players Alliance Alfonse D’Amato, among others, testified in front of the House subcommittee that regulation of the industry was better than the prohibition of online gambling. While D’Amato was the only one who was definitively pro-online poker, many of the other advocates were surprisingly neutral on the issue but leaning towards regulation. As such, that October House subcommittee meeting has fueled the fires that online poker legislation, at the minimum, is a possibility.
In discussing the upcoming hearing, Michael Waxman, a spokesman for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative, stated to the Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Steve Tetreault, “The flurry of hearings clearly shows how momentum is building for Congress to move on this issue.” At this moment, there hasn’t been any witnesses announced for the November hearing, but such a list is expected at the midpoint of next week.
One of the potential methods for introducing online poker regulation is quickly reaching its endgame. The “supercommittee” created from equal number of Democratic and Republican House and Senate members to suggest methods of deficit reduction is scheduled to present its findings on November 23rd. There has been a tremendous amount of lobbying by the poker community towards the members of the “supercommittee” to include legislation which would regulate and legalize online poker, not only to protect customers but also to bring in revenues. With less than two weeks until that Thanksgiving Eve deadline, there has been little movement from either side on several key issues and it is unknown if the online gaming question has been in the discussions.
All of the political action in Washington, DC, has the “brick and mortar” casino industry drawing their cards, so to speak, in teaming up with online operations for potential internet gaming options. Last week, MGM Resorts International and Boyd Gaming joined forces with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment for a proposed partnership that would become operational once the U. S. government clarifies their online gaming and poker laws, while Caesars Entertainment already has such an operation in place, through 888 Holdings PLC and a World Series of Poker branded online card room (for players outside of the U. S.), that could be expanded to accept American action. Other operations, such as Fertitta Enterprises (owners of Station Casinos) in Las Vegas and the California card rooms The Bicycle Casino and the Commerce Casino, have started “free play” options online that could be easily converted to real money operations once regulated.
The “wild card” in any potential legislation may come from the Indian tribes and their casino operations. During the October hearings, Ernest Stevens, the chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association, was the most reluctant speaker about the potential for internet gaming, instead more interested in preserving the Indian tribes’ sovereign rights to be a player in internet gaming and be able to maintain a tax-exempt status.
Next week’s hearing, as well as the “supercommittee” report coming in less than two weeks, will give a good indication of where any potential legislation regarding online poker and gaming overall stands. Poker News Daily will continue to monitor the situation and report on the upcoming moves in Washington, DC, over the next couple of weeks.
The only thing wrong with online gambling is the unfair house edge!
Congress should adopt and pass parimutuel wagering on events, games and sporting activities. No cheating possible, no cost to goverment, immediate revenue, no need to raise taxes.
It is a proven fact that in HARD TIMES the Industries that still flourish are
three., i.e; Food – liquor – gambling. I believe if our government and many states concentrate on revenues producing INCOME we could be able to utilize tax revenues to help the economy for many. Everyone must eat, others drink socially and those who can, gamble. I am not advocating overdrinking or spend all they have with the HOPES of making their BILLs. However, those who do ARE doing it will do it ANYWAY.
Considering what I just said, I feel that could ALSO APPLY to another problem with Governmwnt Regulations that are deffinately killing our Young People and also those who become their victims. We as PARENTS cannot spank or discipline our children anymore. “WE” can go to jail???????? Our kids use tactics, and then know they can CALL CPS or POLICE claiming injuries. They listen to News reports on how BAD things are & that they will never get a JOb or own a HOME or can ever retire & they start to loose HOPE in life. HOPE is one of the most needed things in AMERICA & government regulations have taken it away. Sooooo, they join Gangs for friends, fight and kill & steal, have no respect for Parental or Educational adult LAWS. They try & use drugs to be part of a group that makes them feel worth something. Then, when they do wrong & the SYSTEM blames the Parents and even charges THEM.
Government Rules are killing our Nation and ruining a GENERATION. YET, Government can not even manage their own responsibilites. Leave people alone, this is still a FREE Country, I Think??? Internet GAMEING is not a problem, people will still do it everywhere IT IS LEGAL. They will just get in their cars, spend gas, maybe get into trouble & have accidents or Drink & Drive because maybe they didn’t win. It just might be the thing that keeps people safe. Sorry for going completely off subject, but, Thank you.