Poker Community Rejoicing

November 12, 2008

The online gambling and poker community is celebrating tonight with the election of Barack Obama to the presidency. The online gambling and poker community are wondering where this might lead them now that they have gotten the Republicans out of office for the most part.

With the House and the Senate now being mostly Democrats, the pushing through of new bills that would regulate and/or legalize online gambling should get easier. They believe that once they get these bills through Congress that President Elect Barack Obama will be willing to approve them thus allowing online gambling to flourish once again.

With many online gambling supporters gaining even more momentum in Congress, we can only assume the fight is about to get easier. Rep. Barney Frank won my more than 68% of the vote over his Republican, and anti online gambling, opponent. Frank is working to get HR 6870, the Payment Systems Protection Act, passed through thus negating Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, or UIGEA.

Congressman Robert Wexler is another pro online gambling supporter, and he won his seat back as well. He won 66% to 27%, thus ensuring his spot. Wexler has been pushing for legalizing online poker as he says that it is skill based and therefore should be exempt from the UIGEA. Games like poker, chess, bridge, etc. would be allowed to continue online.

Ron Paul, of course, was re-elected. Paul is another supporter of online gambling, and he co-authored the Payment Systems Protection Act. This would make the idea of sports betting legal. There were those that wanted to study online gambling as well, and they will now be able to do that.





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