|
 Lawmakers in Tallahassee are seriously considering adding regulation to poker over the internet in the next legislative session. There are talks of banning the game altogether to legalizing it and using it as a source of tax revenue. Currently, Congress has been addressing the issues of online poker in the US, but that hasn't stopped operators from finding loopholes to allow poker to be played by Americans online.
"Because they're in other countries, the law enforcement doesn't reach there," said Analyst for the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, Alex Regaldo.
The research office has given us three possibilities of legislative decision. Either they will agree to wait and see what happens for online poker at the federal level, they will ban online poker, or they will reach a vote in favor of allowing online poker in return for drawing revenue from it.
In Nevada, approval of online poker has already been established but because the US Justice Department deemed the games illegal, the state had to put a hold on going forward with the new law. In any situation, the ability to enforce these laws is nearly impossible because anyone who has access to a computer and internet connection can play poker online. This is confirmed by a report which says, "A law to prohibit Internet gambling could be difficult to enforce as anyone with the appropriate equipment and Internet connections can play online poker in the privacy of his or her own home."
Others have also questioned the reality of banning online poker. Senator Dave Aronberg had this to say:
"When the feds tried to do it, it didn't really work. Is there anything that Florida can do other than allowing it to occur?"
Many supporters of online poker are coming together to promote their right to play the game online and urging lawmakers to go ahead and allow it in Florida. Some say that allowing legitimate gaming sites to offer their services to Floridians would force the sites that go unregulated to shut down.
Another important issue to consider in Florida right now is the deal with the Seminole Tribe, which has been trying very hard to reach an agreement with the state on how their operations will continue.
For now, we as online poker players need to make ourselves heard by Congress and to our state legislatures of the importance of the ability to play our beloved game online. Hopefully, the US will one day be able to rejoin the many other global customers of the great online gaming sites unavailable to Americans right now and Florida could be a leader towards this goal.
US Players are welcome to play at a few online poker sites including FullTiltPoker.com, DoylesRoom.com and PokerStars.com.
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed