According to an article published by Bloomberg sourcing the Washington Post newspaper, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) may add a measure legalizing online poker to “a spending package or other must-pass legislation before Congress adjourns for the year.” Online poker was not part of a draft of the tax relief bill released last week.
Also last week, Reid released a statement that read in part, “Experienced regulators already trusted by millions of Americans will maintain oversight and reputable operators with proven track records will provide a secure gaming environment for Americans.” However, critics of the bill have called Reid out for placating to two of his largest campaign contributors, Caesars Entertainment (formerly Harrah’s Entertainment) and MGM Resorts International. The former owns the rights to the annual World Series of Poker held at the Rio.
According to the Associated Press, the American Gaming Association came out in support of Reid’s efforts on Friday. American Gaming Association head Frank Fahrenkopf asserted, “Current online gambling laws do not provide these safeguards, leaving players and the system open to fraud, cheating and other illegal acts.” The ongoing lame duck session in Congress will likely come to an end next Friday, which means that Reid’s window to turn online poker legalization into a reality is quickly closing.
On why Reid has been focusing on online poker as opposed to other forms of gambling, the Associated Press quoted the Senate Majority Leader as saying, “I still have serious concerns about legalizing the broad range of casino-type gambling through the internet. The bill I am working on would make other types of internet gambling clearly illegal, while increasing penalties and strengthening the ability of law enforcement to shut down illegal sites.” It remains unclear whether other games would be legalized in the future.
On Thursday, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the main lobbying group for poker players in the United States, sent an e-mail blast to its members updating the developments on Capitol Hill. The PPA explained, “While many have speculated that the ‘Tax Bill’ would be a likely vehicle for iPoker legislation, because of recent political developments with respect to the tax bill, it has become complicated to predict whether that bill is a viable path.”
Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest developments.