Ever since the announcement that HR 6663, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Clarification and Implementation Act of 2008, was introduced by Republican Congressman Pete Sessions (TX), the online poker world has been abuzz. On the surface, the bill seems like a good deal for online poker: HR 6663 takes aim squarely at sports books, declaring them completely illegal under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. However, the online poker industry’s main lobbying group – the Poker Players Alliance – and key lawmakers have stated their opposition to Pete Sessions’ bill. Meanwhile, HR 6663 gained one more co-sponsor on Friday, Congressman Gene Green (D-TX), bringing the total to four.
Green joins three other Democratic Congressmen who have already signed on as co-sponsors of HR 6663, which include Marion Barry, a Democratic Congresswoman from Arkansas; William Delahunt, a Democratic Congressman from Massachusetts; and Jesse Jackson Jr., a Democratic Congressman from Illinois. Green represents the 29th Congressional District of Texas, which includes the city of Houston. He came to Congress in 1993. He’s a high-profile Democrat that serves on the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.
The Texan has authored legislation currently in Congress to amend the “Social Security Act to remove the limitation upon the amount of outside income which an individual may earn while receiving benefits” as well as a bill that would “require persons to certify that they have not violated foreign corrupt practices statutes before being awarded Government contracts.” Those quotes were taken from the Library of Congress website.
The Poker Players Alliance has taken issue with a provision in HR 6663 that states there has been a “lack of authoritative court decisions on the applicability of other federal criminal statutes to Internet poker and casino-style gambling.” In a press release authored by PPA Chairman and former three-time Senator from New York Alfonse D’Amato noted, “H.R. 6663 only confuses a clear judicial standing” on the legality of online poker. In essence, the PPA is unable to support a bill stating that online poker may be illegal even though the end result clarifies the UIGEA to focus solely on online sports books.
Meanwhile, the online poker world has been searching for the reasons that led to Sessions introducing HR 6663 last week. Recently, he’s found himself defending his actions stemming from a fundraiser at Forty Deuce, a night club at the Mandalay Bay casino in Las Vegas. Sessions’ Chief of Staff told the Houston Chronicle, “It’s a retro club that’s as risqué as a 1940s film.” The newspaper also quotes Forty Deuce’s website, which states, “sensual dancers slowly slink down the stairs to the stage and lean out over the crowd.”
Poker News Daily sought comment from Congressman Sessions’ office to learn why the lawmaker introduced HR 6663. Press Secretary Emily Davis replied, “In light of other immediate priorities, the Congressman is kindly declining to comment on the issue at this time.” Follow up phone calls were not returned.
Steven Adamske, Press Secretary to Congressman Barney Frank, told Poker News Daily, “In our bill, we give sports leagues and the NCAA the ability to opt out.” The bill in question is HR 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, which is Frank’s solution to regulating internet gambling of all types in the United States. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley also opposes HR 6663. She told the Las Vegas Review Journal newspaper, “People in Congress are still trying to eliminate sports betting on the Internet when it is very clear that millions wish to exercise their rights as Americans and bet online.”
Berkley’s Chief of Staff, Richard Urey, told Poker News Daily, “She does not believe in picking and choosing which forms of gambling should be available. If someone wants to participate and it’s regulated, then who is to say what you should be able to wager on?”
Congress is on recess for the month of August and will return after Labor Day. If a budget is passed in September, it’s possible that the lawmaking body will not return to Capitol Hill following November’s elections.
