Online Poker Bill Advances

Not quite as boring a headline as “Worthwhile Canadian Initiative”, but it’s still a good sign. The bill passed the House Financial Services Committee by a pretty healthy margin. There are still several steps to go before it becomes law, but hopefully this means that Congress is starting to understand the inevitability of online poker.

Some argue that the promise of increased tax revenue is what is changing minds, but online poker is not going to be a cash cow. It’s a reality anyway, so they may as well tax and regulate it. Let’s hope the full Congress understands this and legitimizes what is already happening: the play of online poker in the U.S. by tens or hundreds of thousands of people.