US Elections - A Vote on Gambling

Non-Partisan Bills

As party Presidential candidates are heading towards the peak of their campaigns, about to enter the primary elections in the different states across the US; at this stage of the Presidential elections, a little over a year until the due date and a good year into the race, online gambling becomes a main issue on candidates' and voters' minds.

One indication for this is the latest legislation introduced by Nevada Congresswoman Shelley Berkley. The H.R. 2140 was brought to the House of Representatives by Berkley (D), a follow-up step after the legislation by fellow Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA). Sixty other Congressmen and women have cosponsored her bill, which basically calls not for a repeal of the online gambling ban, which she nonetheless objects to, but rather for a thorough study of the situation and its optimal solution.

The first step, according to Berkley and as stated in the bill, would be a study to be done by the National Academy of Sciences on behalf of the US government. The advantage of the bill, especially in these days of party partisanship in American politics about practically every issue on the table from gun-control to immigration reform, is that it does not side with either approach. "It doesn't say Internet gambling is good or bad. It says 'Let's study the issue,'" Berkley said.

Bills Accumulating

Berkley's name is not new to online gambling legislations and bills. Barney Frank can show about as many signatures supporting his Bill, H.R. 2046, also known as the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007, a challenging bill to the infamous UIGEA. Rep. Berkley is one of the names appear on the bill. In fact, she is one of the first to sign it, doing so already in April.

Besides the Study Bill by Berkley and the Frank bill, two others are on the table these days, making for a total of four initiatives that if combined could present a legit opposition to the administration's policy and even bring for a change in the upcoming year, ahead of the elections, or hint at a change that will come following the elections, with a new President in office.

• H.R. 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act, introduced by Robert Wexler (D-FL) calls for the regulation of poker, not its all-out ban. Games of skill, according to this bill, will be excluded from UIGEA.
• H.R. 2607, the Internet Gambling Tax Act, introduced by Jim McDermott (D-WA) calls for a 2% tax on all wagers. Not a ban on gambling, but rather a change of the I.R.S. code.

On the Other Hand

Following the resignation of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), the recent resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and with the gaining momentum of the Democratic Party Presidential candidates, it does not at all seem like the "other side," i.e. the pro-ban politicians have much going for them. Except, of course, for the current law in place. But for how long?