Home / Poker News November 2010 / Online poker hopes alive again on Capitol Hill?
Online poker hopes alive again on Capitol Hill?
Posted by: James Carter. - Thu, 2010-11-18 11:16
Don’t get yourself all worked up about it yet. In the wake of the November elections, when the Republicans gained control of the House, things looked about as dire for legal
online poker and online gambling as ever. Barney Frank, the biggest supporter of online poker legalization lost his position as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and as if that setback alone weren't enough, Rep. Spencer Bacchus, the staunchest opponent of legal online gambling and poker became the next in line for the position. He is the ranking member who is supposed to get the chairmanship even now but his chances seem a lot flimsier now than they did just a few weeks ago. The reason? Apparently, Rep. Bacchus is not particularly gifted when it comes to holding his peace for his own good. In the wake of the massive Republican victory, he had to speak up stating that Sarah Palin cost the Republicans control of the Senate.
Palin, a notorious Tea Party figure, had been instrumental in influencing the results of the election in favor of the Republicans. She was quick to return Bacchus the favor, and all of a sudden, the possibility of Ed Royce becoming chairman instead of Bacchus has reared its head.
Make no mistakes, Royce isn't particularly good for online poker either. As a matter of fact he barely earned a D rating in the PPA’s books regarding support for Barney Frank's initiative, but nonetheless, considering that Bacchus opposes legalization on a moral grounds, and that he is not open to any kind of change of heart, Royce definitely qualifies as the lesser of two evils. Not only that but he's a political ally to John Campbell, one of the biggest Republican supporters of Frank's bill.
Does this mean poker players and industry representatives should break out the champagne to celebrate? Not by a longshot, but a possible appointment of Royce to the head of the financial services committee may offer a much-needed glimmer of hope.
