New Online Gambling Push in Senate

US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pushing behind the scenes for new legislation that would legalize online poker but restrict licenses to online casinos and operators that have been in business for at least five years, according to news reports.

Last chance, For Now

But the Nevada Democrat has come under fire from several House Republicans who say the senate is attaching the measure to legislation that must be passed during the current lame-duck session, which concludes on December 17.

If passed, the Internet Poker Act 2010 will regulate online poker and provide federal and state governments with much needed tax revenue from online poker.

As a senator in the gambling hub that is Nevada, it is no surprise that this is such a big issue for Reid. He was the beneficiary of generous support from casino companies during his last campaign, namely from MGM Resorts International, which donated some $192,000 to aid him in his re-election.

Repeal the Ban

The bill follows efforts pushed by other legislators to overturn the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which effectively banned online gambling in the United States.

Congressman Barney Frank's Online Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, or HR 2267, still remains to be decided on.

Now Reid's legislation could beat Frank's to achieving that goal if it passes through Congress in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile

Online casino gambling in the USA has plummeted. From atop the online gambling world, US players must look hard to find such casinos as Slotastic and Sun Palace, who aside from being excellent casinos, accept payments via AmEx cards, which enable US players to make deposits.

Otherwise, US players are at risk playing on an unregulated market.