Ban on Sports Betting

The latest news from Washington regarding online gambling is the possibility of a new bill that will change the online gambling ban to only apply to sports betting, thereby releasing other forms of poker, online casinos and wagering from the ban. Poker companies are divided on the topic.

The Poker Players Alliance do not support the bill, while Poker Source Online does. The dilemma they are experiencing is based in the fact that poker is already legal. So there is some confusion that arises because The Poker Players Alliance doesn’t think that the bill would help to clearly define what exactly is unlawful Internet gambling. They feel that if they get behind the bill and acknowledges the poker exemption it would essentially be affirming that poker is illegal.

The purpose of the bill would be to focus legislation on preventing Internet sports betting and payments to or from such sites.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., does not support the bill. Instead she would rather call for a one-year study of online casino use. She said, “People in Congress are still trying to eliminate sports betting on the Internet when it is very clear that millions wish to exercise their rights as Americans and bet online.”