Online Poker Players Wait As the Tension Mounts

Millions of online gamblers in the US are waiting with bated breath as the authorities in Washington prepare to take one final stab at changing gambling laws across the country. The session to decide what form the gambling industry will take in the future began a couple of days ago. A decision is expected to be taken on the matter in the next couple of weeks.

A similar session held way back in 2006 is largely responsible for the present day online gambling laws. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was pushed through by the Republicans by the might of their majority in the House. That the Act was passed just on the heels of a Border Protection Bill is considered a shady way of dealing with the issue by many supporters of legalized online gambling in the state. However, it is not the first time that such ploy has been used by law makers.

Democrats, who hold the powers in the Senate and the House now, have the opportunity to pay back in the same coin. If they wish to, they can push through the Online Gambling Legislation Bill of Representative Barney Frank in the next few months before Republicans once again gain control of the House in the New Year.

The first day of this crucial meeting started off with discussions about matters related to tax cuts and new leadership position for the coming year. It seems as if the gambling legislation bill has been accorded less priority and will be taken up later in the session. In the unfortunate event of no legislation being passed regarding legalizing of online gambling in the US, it is more likely that an online gambling regulation bill will be initiated by the Senate sometime in 2011.

It is expected that as the week passes off, outgoing legislators will make an effort to push bills that will not see the light of day in 2011. Representative Frank is not part of the outgoing group. But he has been around for some time now and fully understands that it would be next to impossible for his bill to succeed once the Republicans flex their majority muscles in the House from January 2011.

Hoping against hope, online gamblers expect a change of heart at the eleventh minute. Representative Frank has been candid enough to admit that he does not expect the legislation to be passed this year. Yet, he also does not deny the possibility of a last minute rethinking by the House. It is said that if Frank is able to find a bill such as a Jobs legislation that will be voted in the next month, he may try to attach the online gambling legislation bill to it and try for success, much the same way the Republicans acted earlier.

The online gambling community in the US is on tenterhooks as they wait for the Meeting to give them the good news that they have long awaited. If the current laws remain unchanged, they will be the biggest losers. The online poker players are aware that they are unlikely to find a more favorable situation in the near future. This in effect, is their last chance at getting online gambling legalized in the country.