Daniel L. Cox
Editor, Poker Insider Magazine
© August 7, 2009

Washington, DC - A bill that would establish a new legal regulatory framework for Internet poker in the United States and also put in place certain consumer protections such as age restrictions. Officially entitled S.8309, the Internet Poker and Games of Skill Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, it was introduced in the U.S. Senate today by New Jersey Democrat Robert Menendez.  The new piece of legislation is designed to legalize and regulate Internet poker.

S..8309 begins "To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for the licensing by the Secretary of the Treasury of Internet poker and other games that are predominantly of skill, to provide for consumer protections on the Internet, to enforce the tax code, and for other purposes."

No matter what success this bill meets with, it represents another huge milestone in the nationwide struggle to reclassify poker from gambling to a game of skill. The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) is spearheading a movement that seeks to enable online poker to be not only legalized but also change the way it is regarded in popular culture. That movement has gained a lot of transaction over the past year, with smaller court victories in states such as Colorado, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Representative Barney Frank has been leading recent efforts to legalize and regulate certain sectors of online gambling with his own legislation (which is separate from this bill).

Home to the original US gaming resort destination, Atlantic City, New Jersey has long had its own internal struggles regarding the legality of gaming, and has recently clashed with the federal government on this basis. It is important that you contact your representatives in Congress to show your support for the bill, and tell them you support the actions.   

READ THE BILL HERE