Online Gambling
Legislation Lagging
February
23, 2010
The online gambling
industry has been waiting patiently, ok, maybe not patiently, to see
their industry legalized. The online gambling players have tried to find
any which way around the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, or
UIGEA, so that they can continue to enjoy a sport that is something they
really enjoy doing. They got very excited when President Obama came into
office as many of them thought that this might be the chance for online
gambling to come into legalization and regulation, but as of yet that
has not happened.
They thought that they stood a real chance months ago when Rep. Barney
Frank introduced his HR 2267 – the Internet Gambling Regulation,
Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act or IGRCPEA. But in order for it
to get to Obama’s desk it first needs to go through a group of
committees where they poke and prod it to get it to become a bill.
Getting any bill signed into law is a tough process, but for the online
gambling industry is has been especially wearisome. The legislation
first had to be introduced, which it was – last May. Then it has to go
through a bunch of committees, and the online gambling bill has gone
through four already. The House and the Senate make up these committees
and they pass it along to the next one once they decide they like it.
The House Financial Services Committee is the only one that has held
hearings on the latest incarnation of this online gambling bill.
Then the House has to vote on the online gambling bill, and if it passes
it has to go to the Senate. If they approve it then it will go to the
President to sign into law. If they don’t, then the online gambling bill
will go back and forth until it is rewritten into something they can all
agree upon, or gets thrown out entirely.
