Online Poker: 6 Month Delay in UIGEA Regulations

Good news for online poker players as Gambling911.com can reveal that the US Treasury Department is expected to delay implementation of regulations that would require banks to stop online poker and other gambling transactions via credit cards.

A number of high profile sources have informed Gambling911.com of this development.

UIGEA is short for the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act, passed in October 2006, which made some forms of online gambling illegal but exempted others such as horse racing and state lotteries. 

Banks and other financial institutions originally had until December 1st, 2009 to comply with the UIGEA rules. The new guidelines have become especially watered down in recent months.  Wires and bank checks are no longer mentioned as part of UIGEA.

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) has been lobbying hard to delay the scheduled regulations and appear to have had some success on this front. 

A hearing on this matter is slated for December 3 but Gambling911.com has already learned that the postponement is "expected" according to our sources. 

Barney Frank's office was expected to release a statement shortly. 

Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher