Federal Web Poker Plan Dead For 2012, Chances Slim For Early 2013: Report

For those Christmas-spirited poker players who want online poker back, the holiday season will once again deliver a lump of coal.

Online poker hopes for 2012 are over, and early 2013 isn’t looking good either, according to reporting out of Capitol Hill by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The American Gaming Association is still engaged in a “full-court press” to get something passed during the ongoing lame duck session.

Some federal lawmakers, led by Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, will continue the fight next year, but if efforts stall some states — New Jersey and California — could legalize the activity.

Intrastate web gambling is allowed after the Justice Department clarified an outdated law about a year ago. Offering games across state lines, in the absence of a federal bill, is still an option. States could form compacts, all in an effort to create liquidity for poker sites.

While some argue that a bill from Congress is necessary for the upcoming industry, some disagree, and others even strongly oppose it. Gambling advocates aren’t all aligned on the issue. It’s unclear how a Reid concoction would affect tribal casinos and the state lotteries.

So far, Nevada and Delaware have authorized web gaming. Nevada could see one of its casino companies kick off web poker sometime during the first quarter of 2013.

Some American poker players have been waiting for a licensed and regulated system to emerge after the feds kicked out the major offshore sites on Black Friday. However, some other sites have stepped in to offer games to U.S. players in the lengthy intermission.

Follow Brian Pempus on Twitter — @brianpempus

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