As discussed in the previous column, the chance of passing pro-online gaming legislation prior to the June 1 deadline, which is when UIGEA's regulations take effect, is slim. Even Rep. Barney Frank, one of the champions of a UIGEA repeal, said as much. But that hasn't stopped two bills from being introduced to Congress in February and March. Both will allow for online poker to be legalized and regulated on the federal level. In essence, passage of these bills would overturn the entirety of UIGEA.

The first bill was a bit of a surprise to many, as it was only a portion of a much larger tax reform bill and it boasted of bipartisanship. The Bipartisan Tax Fairness and Simplification Act of 2010, now also known as S.3018, was introduced February 23 by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) with broad intentions. This 186-page bill looks to simplify the United States tax code via a variety of reforms, offer some tax cuts, and create new jobs. But the massive document has an interesting provision included amidst its complicated jargon, one that will allow the federal government to regulate internet gambling and collect revenue in the process.

Wyden's support of online gaming is nothing new; he introduced an amendment to health care reform legislation in September 2009 that sought to use internet gambling revenue to pay for reform proposals. His request pushed for the passage of Frank's bill, the Internet Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act, though his efforts for the amendment were defeated. Nevertheless, Wyden's inclusion of online gaming in his co-sponsored bill with Gregg gives the issue a fighting chance, as the legislation may have wide-ranging overall support.

The second bill was somewhat of a rebirth of a previous one. Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) revamped a 2009 proposal, one that simply complimented Frank's 2009 bill and provided for the taxation portion of the deal, and reintroduced it as H.R.4976, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act of 2010.

This comprehensive legislation provides for the regulation, licensing, and taxation of online gaming with some additional provisions that other bills do not include. First, it offers six percent of all online gaming deposits to be designated for state and tribal governments, an amount estimated to be nearly $30 billion over the next ten years. Second, it sets aside 25 percent of the federal revenue collected, which will be approximately $42 billion over the coming decade, to assist foster care programs. The numbers are higher than those previously given in other legislative proposals, but McDermott verified them with the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation.

McDermott's bill may gain more support than other bills because it caters to state and tribal governments and gives a significant percentage of the revenue to a charitable group of programs. With budget shortfalls across the board-state, local, and federal-hitting particularly hard in 2010, this bill would provide
revenue that is much needed. If proposed and pushed in the right direction and with bipartisan and multi-level support, there may be more momentum behind McDermott's efforts now than there was before.

For those who support the above pieces of legislation, now is the time to speak to members of Congress and express your sentiment. The voices of the poker community must be heard in order to push these bills forward. Exact wording and status of the bills can be found at the Open Congress website (www.OpenCongress.org). More information about the bills and ways to contact Senators and Representatives can be found via the Poker Players Alliance (www.ThePPA.org) or the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative (www.SafeAndSecureIG.org) websites.

Jennifer Newell is a compulsive writer. In addition to Poker Player Newspaper, she writes for numerous publications and blogs at Pokerati.com as California Jen. In her little bit of spare time, she plays poker, too. Contact her at jen3351@msn.com.