Joe Barton Makes Second Attempt to Legalize US Online Poker
Representative Joe Barton, one of the staunchest advocates of online poker legalization in the US, has made a second attempt to legalize US online poker through the Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2013, which if passed into law will enable Indian tribes and states to legalize online poker without worrying about any type of interference from the federal government.
Since Representative Peter King had also proposed an online gambling bill last month, Barton’s online poker bill becomes the second of its kind to be recently introduced in Congress.
Barton, who is skeptical about the success of King’s bill, is reported to have voiced his opinion that a poker-only bill has a better chance of success than a bill that introduces all forms of online gambling.
If Barton’s bill is approved, online poker will be regulated at the federal level, while giving individual states unwilling to legalize poker the freedom to opt out of it. Barton has expressed hopes that the Congress will “accomplish my goal of protecting the integrity of the game and the rights of those who play it.”
According to him, the bill will create “federal standards” and protect not only online poker players, but also gambling addicts and underage players. He said: “Poker is an all-American game. 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.”
Meanwhile, Representative Dina Titus’ spokesperson has revealed her plans to review Barton’s bill to make sure that “it includes strong consumer protection safeguards and sound regulatory oversight.” According to spokeswoman Caitlin Teare, the Congresswoman has always supported federal-level legalization of online poker.
It may be recalled that Nevada, though not the first US state to legalize online poker, was definitely the first to create a regulatory framework for online poker in 2011. This year, in a bid to push itself head and shoulders above New Jersey, the state modified its online gaming regulations to include provisions for the formation of interstate online poker compacts. Nevada also gets the credit for being the first US state to launch a legalized and regulated online poker room Ultimate Poker. The state has licensed a number of online gambling companies, and if things go well, Caesars will launch WSOP.com in Nevada soon.
New Jersey is also on the verge of issuing licenses to online gambling service providers. The state plans to launch its first online gambling products this November. Delaware was the first US state to legalize online gambling, and now several US states are mulling over online gambling legalization. Referring to the disadvantages of state-level legalization, Barton said: “The complex web of state and local regulations now being devised could leave players at risk.”
Individual states began legalizing online gambling because the Department of Justice (DoJ) had announced that the federal Wire Act of 1961 does not apply to online poker and online casino gambling.
Poker Players’ Alliance (PPA) chief John Pappas refers to Barton’s bill as a “common-sense bill.”
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