Barney Frank Talks Online Poker Legislation With Jay Leno

The poker industry wondered whether an appearance by chairman of the House Financial Services Committee Barney Frank on the Jay Leno Show Tuesday night would provide an opportunity for him to discuss the legalization of online poker.

He didn’t let the industry down.

Said one industry observer:  “I know when most celebs go on to Leno or prime time talk shows they promote their (own) show, or movie…but didn’t it seem like Barney was there to promote internet gambling?  

“While I know it might not have had a big impact, the fact that he did this is a VERY BIG DEAL!”

Frank appeared on the show along side Kim Kardashian, who herself was one of the biggest prop bets being offered up during the 2010 Super Bowl due to her relationship with then boyfriend Reggie Bush (yes, there were odds being offered on whether a team would score more points than Kim’s waist line). 

Barney revealed, when asked by Kim, that he never watched Kardashian’s reality show.

“No, to be honest, I am into ‘Escape TV’.”

Frank also discussed how he has teamed up with one of the most conservative Republicans in the U.S., Ron Paul, in an effort to bring home all American troops in Iraq and elsewhere, including Japan.

“If we weren’t spending tens of billions of dollars in Iraq and some of that to bring home we could put people back to work and still be able to deal with the deficit,” he said.

Frank was very clear that legalized online poker would help generate massive revenues in the U.S.

“We can make billions of dollars a year by making it legal and taxing it,” he said.
Leno brought up the notion that online poker would result in addictions since gamblers could easily access such card rooms from their homes.

The Congressman pointed out that individuals would not be able to use their credit cards to access such sites.  Instead they would rely on debit cards or prepaid cards to ensure funds were readily available.  Additionally a limit would be placed on the amount bet.

“If there is something people want to do and it is not hurting someone else, then let them keep doing it,” Frank said.

The Congressman also brought up that marijuana should be legalized.

Patrick Flanagan, Gambling911.com