December Bills Could Create Opportunity for Internet Poker Measure

Lawmakers may be planning to attach online poker legislation to upcoming bills, more specifically an omnibus appropriations bill that needs to be passed by December 16.

It’s déjà vu perhaps, harping back to last December when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid worked feverishly to get his own online poker bill passed by year’s end.  That never happened.  This year, there is more momentum.

The New York Post earlier in the month reported that Reid and one time industry nemesis Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl were co-authoring a bill to legalize Internet poker. 

Citing unnamed sources close to the situation, the New York Post writer confirmed to the TwoPlusTwo.com Legislation Forum that the target date for passage was December of this year. 

Forum member slaugger5x brings up an important point: 

Congress must pass nine more appropriations bills before a stop-gap spending measure expires December 16th.

Congress must also determine how it to move forward on an array of tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year, including the payroll tax, the alternative-minimum tax and doctor's reimbursement for Medicare. Democrats also want to pass an extension of unemployment benefits.

Supporters of legalized Internet poker insist the industry can deliver billions of dollars annual to a struggling US economy.  Many politicians once on the fence have indicated they will now vote in favor of such a measure, contingent on the wording.

The industry received another blow Monday with news that long time supporter, Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank, will not be seeking reelection in 2012. 

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher