UIGEA Hearings Held this Week
The Government is at it again! Earlier this week the House Judiciary Committee met with various members of congress, and gambling industry representatives. The hearing was held on the subject of online gambling and online poker rooms, and its impact and possible impact. Hearing both sides for and against the prohibition put in effect by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), the hearing came to no announced conclusions. Here are some of the ‘highlights’.
Speaking for Prohibition were a number of Republican members of Congress including: Bob Goodlatte, and Lamar Smith; also speaking pro was a representative of the Family Research Council. The general argument offered by this group included the effectiveness of the UIGEA at significantly diminishing the card-playing fad over all. They were able to utilize a number of surveys taken since the UIGEA was enacted to support their point. Additionally they sited underage gambling concerns, money laundering online (which has only occurred 1ce and was caught quickly), and the toll on the family due to online gambling addicts behaviors. They were unable to support every one of the allegations as in the situation of a problem gambler, they will pursue the game online or off, thus the UIGEA has had little to no impact there on.
Speaking in reference to anti-prohibition (anti UIGEA) and pro regulation, Annie Duke represented the Poker Players Alliance before the Congress, and Democratic House Representative Sherri Berkley. Both spoke from experience when they spoke about supporting their families in the regulated gambling market, at separate times. In an effort to ascertain the full impact of online gambling and the various implications there of, Berkley is sponsoring a bill researching the online gaming market, and online poker rooms. It is often pointed out during this debate how such a survey and research should have been complete prior to the enactment of the UIGEA to assure the best approach to the controversial choices.
Annie Duke’s testimony covered many of the concerns that were spoken of by the prohibition representatives. Amongst them were that as a mother of 4, regulation could curb the underage gambling more concretely than prohibition could. Further she spoke on the principles that founded this country such as personal freedom, and personal responsibility. Following the intensive and articulate testimony from the First Lady of Poker, were credible updates on current software innovations and products that would eliminate the online underage players, and creating challenges for the criminal mind that may seek to launder or scam money.
