Last Thursday, Texas Republican Joe Barton proposed a new bill to legalize Internet poker. This legislation coincides with a bill proposed in June by New York Republican Congressman Peter King. Referred to as the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2013, it would not only allow for poker, but all casino games.
Back in 2011, the federal government put the screws to Internet gambling. However, later in the same year they made a modification to allow online gambling if it’s authorized on the state level.
The legalization of various forms of online gaming has already been achieved in Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey. Other state governments are examining the issue.
It was reported in the Las Vegas Sun by the Associated Press that Internet Poker Freedom Act proposed by Barton would only apply to poker and would allow states to opt out of the federal system.
The Texas lawmaker said in a statement:
“I continue to be supportive of the Americans who play poker online. They deserve to have a legal, on-shore system that makes sure everyone is playing in an honest, fair structure.”
Global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, estimates that U.S. online gambling revenues will reach more than $9 billion by the year 2020.
Senators Democrat Harry Reid along with Republican Dean Heller are working on new legislation that could be introduced as early as this summer.
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