Can Poker Get Over Republican Hurdle?
Written by Roger S | Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
The world of poker sites and casinos is pinning all its hopes on Rep. Barney Frank’s Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act winning a vote in 2010. Yet, with the Republicans earning more and more power in the Senate, and the Democrats watching as their seats diminish, some analysts are daring to breath that there is little hope that Frank’s bill will actually become legislation this year.
John Pappas, Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance, believes that there have been better years in history that a bill such as this could have made it through easier. “Certainly, the time of this is not good,” admitted Pappas.
One of the American voters’ strongest messages of anti-Obama administration sentiment came with the election of Republican Scott Brown over Attorney General Martha Coakley, backed personally by the President. The election was held to fill the seat left occupied by the late Ted Kennedy.
With the Democrats now fearing losses of even more seats come November elections, it is believed that few politicians will actually back a bill as controversial as one that involves gambling and poker.
It is thus believed that even if Frank’s bill goes in front of the full house in 2010, it may not climb any higher and will not go up for a vote.
Pappas spoke blatantly about the dilemmas facing the PPA about who to back during Senate elections. He admitted that if members needed to back a candidate based on his or her views about poker, they would back either Democrats or Republicans. “The Poker Players Alliance is a non partisan organization,” said Pappas.
Pappas believes that this is a great opportunity for the poker world to show its involvement in the legalization of the game and vote on the issue in November.
“I think it’s an opportunity for the poker community to show its mettle as a political force rather than just a grassroots organization,” he said.
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· Written by Roger S · Filed Under Poker Gossip · Comments Off
