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Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl, who has been rumored to be in talks regarding amending the current Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA), a prohibition bill he co-authored in 2006, has removed a statement on his own website suggesting a change of stance regarding Internet gambling.
The statement removed read as follows:
Internet Gambling
I have opposed efforts to legalize Internet gambling in the past because evidence suggests that it fosters problems unlike any other forms of gambling. Online players can gamble 24 hours a day from home; children can play without sufficient age verification; and betting with a credit card can undercut a player’s perception of the value of cash — leading to possible addiction and, in turn, bankruptcy, crime, and even suicide.
Efforts to carve out an exception for games like poker, which many believe is a game of skill, may be considered later this year. Until I have the chance to review them, I cannot make a judgment about their merits; but I will consider them carefully as long as they leave in place the broader proscriptions against online betting.
These remarks were made late last year. Reports surfaced that Kyl and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid were in talks to pass legislation that would regulate online poker while providing law enforcement with more enhanced tools to go after offshore operators currently targeting US citizens.
Federal legislation is looking less likely during this election year. Instead, it appears legalization will occur at the state level.
Any federal law would have likely gotten rid of a current provision that allows for gambling between states and foreign countries that do not specifically outlaw such activity.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
