Senators Push for Bill to Advance Online Poker

As Congress debates the federal budget, two powerful lawmakers are trying to push an unusual side project into the mix—online gambling.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)and Sen Jon Kyl (R-AZ) are seeking language in a legislative package during the lame-duck session that would expand some forms of online gambling and limit others. The initiative has long been discussed behind closed doors but never publicly introduced. It would create a legal federal system for online poker, something casino operators have pushed for in recent years. At the same time, it also would prevent states from legalizing nearly every other type of online gambling, including sites run by state lotteries. Even the measure's proponents say the bill is a long shot.