Republican Victories in US Imperil Online Gambling Regulations

As is widely known by now, the President Obama’s Democratic Party lost control of the House of Representative, the Lower House of Congress and barely held onto the U.S. Senate. Now, both online gambling operations and gambler are concerned what these results will mean for American gambling laws.

Two years ago, there had been hope that online gambling legislation would see positive reformation when President and Obama and the Democratic Party victoriously claimed, not only all three chambers of government, but placed majorities into both of the Congressional Houses.

Now, the possibility for change within the next two years seems grim. While Republican are known to flip-flop on gambling, Mitch McConnell, senior United States Senator from Kentucky and Minority Leader for the Republican party in this 110th Congress, has famously states that the ““single most important thing for the GOP to achieve in the new Congress is to make sure Obama doesn’t get a second term”. Moreover, McConnell has consistently voted against all previous gambling legislation and his state has been very unfriendly to offshore gambling. As such, the Republics can be expected to obstruct any gambling friendly legislation the President might be inclined to pass.

Representative Barney Frank, U.S. House Represenative for Massachusetts and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, is being viewed by some as the last hope for regulating online gambling sites in the USA. However, the new Republic-led House is not expected to be receptive towards Frank’s proposals despite previously drawing bi-partisan support.

Republican Governor elect of Alabama Robert Bentley stated at a news conference, "I doubt very seriously you'll have a senator or House member who wants to talk about bingo or gambling or anything else".

J.T. “Jabo” Waggoner, Republican member of the Alabama Senate and minority leader expressed "The more Republicans we have in the House and Senate, the lesser chance we have of passing any type of gambling legislation. Republicans have historically fought gambling legislation."

Millions of players at online American poker rooms have been disappointed. William Bass asserted "It's really sad that my friends and I are going to have to continue to play online poker at sites where we are not protected by our government. . . . At this point, I blame the Democrats and Barney Frank. They had their chance to change the laws, and they didn't do it. At some point we are going to have to hold these politicians responsible for not hearing our voices."