Unlike previous attempts Congress has made in its efforts to pass legislation for the online gaming industry, the forthcoming legislation by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) will focus solely on online poker, a game Barton himself has called “a game of skill”, instead of trying to legalize poker as part of a larger measure that would include casino games and other forms of online betting.

The key aspects of the Barton Bill will be:

* Online poker rooms would need to be licensed by the Gaming Commission in a state where playing poker is currently allowed by law i.e. Nevada, New Jersey, or California

* A federal gaming commission would be created in order to enforce regulations at the federal level

* Players from all 50 states would be allowed to play at any licensed site, however, States would be able to “opt-out” and disallow their residents from participating in online poker games

Of course, there is still a long way to go before a final version of the bill passes through the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and then it would need to be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives for an up or down vote, and then sent on to the Senate for final approval –and should any changes be made in the Senate the bill would come back to the House for another vote. Suffice it to say that the legislative process is not one of expediency!

Tags: 50 States, Attempts, Casino Games, Commerce Committee, Expediency, Final Approval, Gaming Commission, Gaming Industry, House Of Representatives, Joe Barton, Legislation, Legislative Process, Online Game, Online Games, Online Poker Games, Online Poker Rooms, Playing Poker, Poker Game, Senate Bill, Taking Shape

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