US Online Poker Study Postponed

August 4 - The online poker industry has been left in limbo yet again as the US Congress chose to put aside the much spoken about HR 2140 proposed by Shelley Berkley, until September at least.

Berkley's bill, which had just made its way to the mark up phase in the United States, called for an intensive one year study into the online poker and gambling industry, which includes the practicalities of regulating the industry in the country.

Unfortunately, however, Congress seemed to have more pressing matters to discuss, such as whether Karl Rove should be continued to be kept in contempt, and pushed off the online poker study bill, along with twelve others, to a later date when the committee reconvenes in September 2008.

Berkley's bill, which has received resounding support from across the political spectrum with 73 votes thus far, also called for the study to investigate the affects of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

However, not everyone backs Shelly Berkley's call for an online poker study. The one-million member strong Poker Players Alliance may back the bill officially, but many of its members feel that too many studies into the effects of online poker and gambling, as well as the UIGEA have already been done - all leading to the same conclusion that regulation is the only way to go.

The Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance, John Pappas said: "We knew the bill was scheduled to come up, but probably wouldn't be voted on. It was a combination of other priorities of the House Judiciary Committee and they weren't 100% confident of the vote count."

In the meantime, pressure on the government to dismantle the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and regulate online poker and gambling continues to mount from other sides, including the international front.