Pressure mounts to regulate US online poker

Taxes congressman Joe Barton has introduced a new bill that if passed will allow and regulate online poker for US residents on an interstate level and finally put an end to the ambiguity and suffering the current federal legislation is causing many players and put a stop to the actions of law officials against online operators such as domain and bank account seizures, federal indictments and prosecutions.

The long-anticipated HR 2366, the Online Poker Act of 2011 was introduced to the US House of Representatives on Friday after it initially received 11 co-sponsors from both Republican and Democratic representatives.

The new bill will start its long way towards approval in the House Energy and Commerce Committee that are overseen by Chairman Fred Upton but used to have Barton himself as chairman so he must still have some clout with the committee.

Barton has drafted the bill with the help of lobby group The Poker Players Alliance, one of the strongest and loudest pro-online poker pressure groups in the US that is dedicated to the protection of players from scrupulous off shore companies and wishes to see a regulated and safe online poker offered to US players ASAP.

Californian Republican rep. John Campbell and Massachusetts Democratic rep. Barney Frank, who introduced their own online poker bill back in March, have promised to support the Barton's bill.

The proposed bill will require online poker operators to register with gaming commissions of local states where gambling is legal, but will also see the creation of a federal body that will regulate and oversee the industry.