Coalition Launches To Push For Online Poker Regime

A new coalition launched with the goal of persuading lawmakers to set up a regulatory regime that would allow Americans to legally place bets on online poker games.

The FairPlayUSA coalition has attracted some high-profile advisers, including former Homeland Security and ex-Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge (R-PA), to push Congress to fully legalize online poker and to clarify the nation's online gambling laws to more clearly define what is legal and what is not. Congress enacted legislation in 2006 to crack down on Internet gambling by barring U.S. payment processors such as credit card companies and PayPal from handling payments for online bets. However, critics argue that the law has done little to stop Americans from continuing to gamble online and say this denies the U.S. government of potential tax revenues. They also say it exposes U.S. participants to fraud and abuse since most Internet gaming sites are based offshore.