Age Verification, Bots and Native American Sovereignty Discussed at Online Poker Hearing

Much of the discussion during a highly anticipated House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on legalized Internet poker in the United States focused on underage gamble and how to prevent cheating online.

Parry Aftab, Board of Advisors Chairman for FairPlayUSA, and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Florida) noted that tools were in place to help curb underage gambling though many on the panel admitted nothing is fool proof. 

Republican Texas Congressman Joe Barton, who sponsored legislation to make online poker legal in the US while imposing strict safeguards, addressed the concerns of Ernest L. Stevens, who represented the Indian casinos.

Stevens suggested that current legislation might get in the way of Indian sovereignty. 

“There is an opt out for states,” Barton pointed out.  Such an opt out allows for state governors to prevent online gambling in their individual state.  “Indian tribes would have the same right to opt out.  We treat the Indian tribes the same way we treat the states.  This seems to me to be a very fair position.”

As for allowing online gambling companies licenses that are currently in violation of US law by accepting players from the States, Poker Players Alliance Chairman Alfonse D’Amato agreed that individuals/companies “in violation of US law” should not be allowed to obtain a license.  He then went on to suggest that those companies still allowing US customers might not actually be in violation of US law.

“The Wire Act applied to sports betting, not poker,” D’Amato said, pointing out that the Justice Department had applied that law to online gambling companies doing business in the US prior to the 2006 passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). 

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher