SubCommittee to Look at Online Gambling in U.S.

For U.S. online gamblers, it looks like the time is coming to make their case before Congress. Tuesday the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade has scheduled a hearing on U.S. online gambling.

The panel will most likely be discussing the legislation introduced by Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas, and Barney Frank, D-Mass but not specifically on online poker.  Rep. Barton said:

“I am pleased that (Chairwoman Mary) Bono-Mack is holding a hearing on the important issue of Internet gaming.”

“It’s a first step to showing why the current law is a lose-lose for everyone — the public, the taxpayer, the banking industry and the people who want to play poker openly and honestly on the Internet,” he added.

The biggest argument from supporters has been that American’s are playing online anyway, particularly online poker and are doing so from offshore sites offering little in consumer protection.

The American Gaming Association has recently changed its position in support of online gambling pointing at the latest Justice Department indictments as the main reason for the change.

Full Tilt poker has been accused of cheating its players out of millions of dollars and players in the U.S. are left with little they can do to ashore they get their money back. The AGA is pushing for regulation from Congress to legalize and regulate online poker so players will be assured of such protection.

Author: GamesAndCasino