Anti-Online Poker Hearing Planned For DecemberRep. John Chaffetz To Continue Push For RAWA |
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The House Oversight & Government Reform Committee is planning a hearing on Internet poker in early December, according to the Poker Players Alliance, a Capitol Hill-based lobbying group in support of the card game.
“The on again, off again iGaming hearing in Congress is now on again,” the PPA said on Twitter Thursday. “OGR Comm chaired by Chaffetz expected to push RAWA on Dec. 9.”
In March, the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations discussed the anti-online poker bill from Rep. John Chaffetz (R-Utah). The legislation, known as the Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA), is backed by billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson, who sees online casino games as a threat to the brick-and-mortar side of the U.S. casino industry.
The hearing in March was described by the PPA as “an exercise in fear mongering” and “an unfortunate waste of everyone’s time.”
There’s another RAWA proposal in the Senate, but it hasn’t had a hearing this year.
Late last month it was revealed that Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio, who is a co-sponsor on the Senate bill, is open to the idea of a carve-out for online poker.
Online lottery sales and fantasy sports would likely receive carve-outs from RAWA.
Despite news of another hearing on the Chaffetz bill, a stand-alone online gambling ban is still very unlikely. The Hill reported last month that a more threatening route at this point is a two-year moratorium on online gaming expansion. The ban could be put in place by mandating a federal study of the online gaming industry. Just Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware have regulated online casino games right now.
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