June 17, 2009 (CAP Newswire) — Several news sources have reported in recent days that Barney Frank’s bill to repeal the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 has picked up a few more sponsors on the U.S. House of Representatives, increasing its chances for getting passed.
This, combined with the glut of media coverage the issue is receiving this year (helped recently by the U.S. government poker winnings freeze), represents quite a difference from Frank’s efforts to legalize online gambling last year. when media coverage and congressional sponsors were difficult to find.
But as of this week, Rep. Frank has upped the number of sponsors by four. That bodes well for his chances of getting his legislation out of the House and into the Senate, which is the last stop before passage (not counting the needed presidential signature, which isn’t expected to pose a difficulty).
You can follow the progress of Frank’s bill here: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2267.
And you can follow the progress of Jim McDermott’s similar bill to regulate online gambling here: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2268.