The online casino and poker industry have been waiting for several months for the final status of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act (UIGEA), and it seems that they will have an answer sooner than later.

A very important and overdue Congressional hearing dealing with the implementation of UIGEA has been set for the 2nd of April.

It will be led by the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology under the chairmanship of Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL). 

The significance of the hearing is that it will be the first time that many congressmen will have actually dealt with the contents of the law and its ramifications since its passing in 2006. As most people in the industry remember, the UIGEA was slipped in at the last minute, attached to a ‘must-pass’ port-security legislation that was lead by Senator Bill Frist. Due to this underhand slip-in, most congressmen did not even read the contents of the law before it was passed. 

The hearing will begin at 10 am at Congress’ Rayburn House Building and will be entitled "Proposed UIGEA Regulations: Burden without Benefit?" The aim of the hearing is to study the viability of the UIGEA laws and to examine whether it can actually be fully implemented into the American society and economy. The laws have essentially been declared unworkable by several involved parties – namely America’s banking industry and others. 

If it is decided the UIGEA is indeed unworkable, then the other alternative for a similar set of laws is Rep. Barney Frank’s (D-MA) IGREA (Internet Gambling Regulations and Enforcement Act).Rep Robert Wexler (D-FL) has also come up with an alternative bill which is entitled IGRTEA (Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act) This act is seen my many in the online poker industry as a much better alternative as it includes an exemption clause for skill games, under which poker falls.  Wexler’s bill is being pitched as a better financial option to the American economy as it allows the US to recoup tax revenues into US coffers rather than escape overseas. 

Due to the potential ramifications of the hearing on the online poker industry, Poker Players Alliance has announced that they will be hooking up via live webcast of the hearing on 2^nd April. Information of the webcast is available on Poker Players Alliance’s website.