Frank's Online Gambling Bill Delayed

June 29, 2009 | News Category: Gaming Law

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The excitement that has been building in the online casino community in the United States in light of Barney Frank's online gambling bill, HR 2267, will need to be put on hold. The hearing of the online gambling bill was meant to take place shortly, and has been delayed by more urgent legislation.

The legislation that requires urgent debate is related to the economic crisis that the United States finds itself in, and while one can argue that the online gambling bill is of major importance, one would be hard-pressed to insist that it comes before the United States economy.

The regulation of the US economy is being discussed in the US House Financial Services Committee at length, which has left the Barney Frank online gambling bill on hold. The PPA (Poker Players Alliance) believe that the online gambling bill will not be debated until at least the fall, with hopes that it will be dealt with in September, at the earliest.

The gambling industry has been concerned that the bill would be delayed, as it now has been, because of more pressing issues, such as the urgent economic legislation. While this is understood, there is a measure of frustration since it is possible that the Barney Frank bill would end the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) online gambling ban. Frank had foreseen that this could have been a problem and had already told his supporters some weeks ago, not to be concerned about the timeline of the bill.

Before the delay had been announced by the US House Financial Services Committee, it had been expected that the bill would be beginning committee hearings straight after the 4th of July Independence Day holiday.

McDermott's bill and the second of Frank's bills, which address the taxation of online gambling and the possible delay of the UIGEA implementation, will both be delayed. Although both of Frank's bills are being delayed, he confidently assured US residents that they should not be concerned about the timeline of the bill by saying quite simply "We'll get it done."

Frank has been confident that his bill would be accepted from the start, and it is likely that his confidence in it has grown since it now has thirty-five co-sponsors, who hail from both sides of the political spectrum. Some of those supporting the Frank bill were those who had helped to vote the UIGEA into law a few years ago.