What to Expect in Poker Industry this 2010
Written by Renee K | Friday, March 19th, 2010
With so much change going on under our noses in the US poker world, it may be time to sit back and speculate what we can expect on the online poker legislation front by the end of this year. Will we finally see the back of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act? Will the PPA be successful in getting online poker approved on a federal level?
First of all, we need to recognize the huge hurdles that are facing us in terms of opposition, existing legislation and time constraints. As such, analysts are skeptical about whether any major changes will be made that govern online poker legislation at a federal level, mostly because it will be almost impossible to convert Congressional Democratic leadership such as Harry Reid in such a short space of time.
On a state level, however, changes are definitely being made before our eyes, and it is believed that New Jersey will be the first to approve intrastate online gambling and poker playing. Despite strong opposition, it is expected that other states will follow suit, if only to start the ball rolling in the direction of legalized poker.
Could we be hopeful and say that the implementation of the UIGEA will be delayed once more? Analysts certainly seem to think so, which will give online poker operators and – no less importantly – banks, another grace period of at least six months. This also means that if Barney Frank’s bill is not heard this session, there is still time for him to introduce it in the next.
Finally, on the international front, it is safe to say that a number of countries and regions are relaxing their online poker rules, as they seek ways to control the industry and earn revenue from it, without banning it outright. The latest example is Quebec, where the government is going ahead with its plans to launch an online poker site by the end of this year.
Stay tuned for a “State of the US Industry” article currently being drafted for us by Mr. I Nelson Rose, Gambling Law Professor.
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· Written by Renee K · Filed Under Poker News · Comments Off
