Barton tables new federal online poker bill
Long-standing online poker advocate Congressman Joe Barton has introduced the Internet Poker Freedom Act in a bid to legalize the activity a federal level
Joe Barton has hit back hard this morning against online gamblingâs opponents with the Congressman tabling a bill seeking to legalize online poker at a federal level. [private]
The bill â HR 2888 â has been dubbed the Internet Poker Freedom Act (IPFA) and has been co-sponsored by Rep. Leonard Lance and Rep. Steve Cohen.
Barton said his bill licenses and regulates internet poker and seeks to restore stateâs rights while providing better protection for players.
âMy bill is needed now more than ever,â Barton said in a statement.
âIt creates one federal standard that protects the integrity of the game and the financial interests of players â while protecting American consumers from nefarious and predatory overseas gambling operations.
âPlayers deserve to have a legal, on-shore system that makes sure everyone is playing in an honest, fair structure. The complex web of state and local regulations now being devised could leave players at risk,â he added.
Bartonâs timing couldnât be better with the introduction of IPFA coming just one day after Senator Lindsay Graham tabled a bill seeking to ârestoreâ the Wire Act and ban online gaming at a federal level.
Barton has previously tried to drive federal online poker legislation across the line but struggled to gain enough support to face a House or Senate Vote.