Gaming Guru

No news on next step in Internet gambling regulation legislation

Barney Frank's press officer was tight lipped when asked about the next step in the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee's attempts to regulate Internet gambling when contacted on Tuesday afternoon.

Frank (D-Mass.) held a hearing Friday on the possibility of regulating the Internet gambling industry. But Steve Adamske, Frank's press secretary, would not comment on future plans for Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act.

He did, however, say that the legislation's chances of moving forward will improve if Americans contact their representatives in Congress to let them know they would like to see the bill pass.

"The success of this legislation all depends on people out there in America contacting their members of Congress and increase support for this," Adamske said. "The more support we have, the better off we will be."

According Buffalo State Business Law professor Joe Kelly, Rep. Shelley Berkley's (D-Nev.) call for a study on the issue will likely get more traction in this session of Congress.

"The average member of Congress just isn't going to vote for (Frank's bill), because in the end, it boils down to uncertainty about minor exclusion," Kelly told Casino City's Ryan McLane in an interview following the committee hearing. "You need objective data before the average member of Congress will change their mind."