Mammoth Blog

Representative Barney Frank spent the weekend at the World Series of Poker where he answered questions regarding his online gambling legislation. On Tuesday, Frank picked up more Congressional support for H.R. 2267.

Two more co-sponsors were added to a list that was already forty Representatives long. Rep. Paul Hodes from New Hampshire and Rep. Edolphus Towns from New York signed on to the Bill that has some powerful legislators in its corner.

Frank is taking his second go around at overturning the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. The first attempt last year failed miserably because of the Republican presence in Congress. Now Frank has his fellow Democrats in control, and he feels this is the time the laws will be changed.

"It's odd that we say 'no gambling'," said Frank at the WSOP Sunday, "because the country is in a terrible economic hole because of gambling. The difference is that the law that was passed by the Republicans stop individuals from gambling in thousands with their own money. At the same time they were allowing institutions to gamble in the billions with other people's money."

Even opponents of online gambling have conceded that it will be hard to hold off the public's demand for Internet freedom. Rep. Spencer Bachus acknowledged that Frank and his supporters will be better prepared when the issue comes up for debate in the near future.

Originally, the House Finance Committee was supposed to move forward on the gambling Bill in the summer, but the economic conditions in the US have stalled the process. Frank now believes the issue will be discussed at length in September. source>>>