The House Judiciary Committee passed on Thursday HR 4777 or the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, the bill sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA).

During the same committee meeting, another bill regarding Internet poker and gaming called HR 4411, sponsored by Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA) and known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, also received support from the committee and on the fast track to head to the U. S. House of Representatives along with HR 4777.

The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act was passed by a nearly straight party vote of 25-11. Rep. Goodlatte, in speaking about the bill during the committee hearings, said, "I oppose gambling because I think it causes many, many problems in our society."

The legislation has the support of the Justice Department because it would plug holes in the Wire Act of 1961, which outlawed the transmission of wagers over phone lines but has no jurisdiction over the Internet.  

Both Rep. Goodlatte’s bill and Rep. Leach’s proposed bill would seek to criminalize the electronic transmission of funds for gaming purposes.

Poker Players Alliance president, Michael Bolcerek, stated that "These prohibition bills promote an egregious intrusion into the personal affairs of ordinary Americans. Poker is a uniquely American game, enjoyed by more than 70 million people in this country. Simply putting the word ‘Internet’ in front of poker should not criminalize this American tradition and the people who play it."

If the bill passes the House, it will go to the Senate for a new deliberation. The Senate would have to have similar legislation on its agenda before HR 4777 can move any further than the House of Representatives.

There has already been significant action from some Senators in that body to regulating the industry, rather than an outright ban on Internet gaming.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 29th, 2006 at 10:06 am and is filed under Online Poker, Poker Industry News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.