US Politicians Against the New Online Poker Bill

The Reid-Kyl bill, a draft that proposes federally legalized online poker but a plans to introduce a ban on all other forms of internet gambling in the United States has met opposition in the legislation.

The National Governor’s Association, an influential US political body, has written a letter to Congressional leaders. The NGA expressed its opposition to the proposal that is supposed to go to Congress as soon as the end of this year.

The NGA urged lawmakers to gather input from their home state before changing anything in the federal American gambling laws.

About a year ago, the new Wire Act allowed some room for individual states to have their own sportsbooks in the USA. As a result, US states expressed their further will to make their own decisions on the internet gambling regulations.

The NGA informed in the letter: “The draft would pre-empt emerging state regulatory authority recently established by the US Justice Department under a reinterpretation of the federal Wire Act, which could restrict state revenues derived from gaming.”

The NGA letter was also signed by Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett, chairman of the NGA’s Economic Development and Kentucky Committee and governor Steve Beshear, the vice-chairman of the same committee.

The letter pointed out that interference with state revenues is an important objection to the draft, saying: “As you know, states that authorize gaming in whatever form, derive significant revenues critical to help fund programs for education, senior citizens, military veterans, and other important services.”

Other governors, for example Brian Sandoval of Nevada strongly supports the Reid-Kyl bill. He is possibly motivated by the fact that Nevada would strongly if the bill was passed in its present form. The Silver State is already well ahead in preparing the regulation of intrastate online poker.

According to US online gambling news, Senator Reid was slightly injured in a multi-vehicle road accident in Las Vegas on Friday.