AGA Fight for Legalisation

Still reeling from the April crackdown online gaming begins lobbying Congress for a change in the law

In the wake of the April crackdown on online gaming by US authorities the American Gaming Association (AGA) has begun its lobbying campaign in the US Congress to regulate online poker in the USA. There are plenty of benefits for the US government when it comes to the regulation of online poker and the AGA’s support for such regulation serves as a reminder how many US gaming interests would like to get into the online poker market place.

The move was announced at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington DC which was headed by the CEO of the AGA, Frank Fahrenkopf. Several other influential players in the world of online gaming including the President of Boyd Gaming, Keith Smith, The CEO of Ameristar Casinos Gordon Kanofsky and the President of Isle of Capri casino Virginia McDowell were also in attendance. The Associated Press reported Fahrenkopf as arguing that “The millions of Americans who are playing poker online deserve to know that they are playing safely, with law abiding operators.” Gaming leaders are said to be meeting with various congressmen in the coming days to discuss regulation in detail.

The move by the AGA comes while 11 executives in the world of online gaming are under indictment for various charges, including money laundering and fraud. The big three poker sites had their assets and their domains frozen and hundreds of thousands of American poker players are still unable to get access to their funds. This isn’t the first time that an attempt has been made to legalise online poker. Senator Harry Reid, representing the state of Nevada attempted to separate online poker from the rest of the online gaming as included in current legislation though his attempt fell flat in Congress. This hasn’t stopped the AGA from continuing it the attempt to ensure the legalisation of online gaming in the future. Regulation will see US poker players playing against other players from the US only when they are online. Regulation would also ensure that the US government effectively becomes a partner in the online gaming industry and would take a hefty share of the profits as tax revenue. As it currently stands the world of online poker has lost its major source of players.