Republican Rep. Young Signs On As Frank Gambling Bill Co-Sponsor

Representative Barney Frank has more reasons to believe that this time around he will succeed in overturning the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. One of the main reasons is a bi-partisan effort. That was exhibited again on Tuesday.

Alaska Republican Representative Don Young has become the thirty-fifth co-sponsor for Frank's online gambling Bill. The legislation would ensure that the UIGEA was overturned and also lay the framework for legalization and regulation of Internet gambling in the US.

"The amount of support that Frank is receiving from Republicans is a strong sign that this Bill has a great chance of passing," said observer John Blasky, "once these Bills gather momentum, they are hard for opponents to stop."

Even staunch opponent of online gambling Rep. Spencer Bacchus admits that it will be difficult to keep Internet gambling illegal in the US. He has acknowledged that Republicans caught Democrats off guard when they attached the UIGEA to a port security Bill.

Bacchus knows that now online gambling proponents on Capitol Hill have done their homework, and will be fully prepared to defend their position this time around. Truth be told, there may not be many opponents left to online gambling.

The US has watched how other countries have successfully implemented Internet gambling laws and regulations. These countries have made millions of dollars in tax money from online gambling operators, and this is not a a time when lawmakers want to turn down those types of revenue streams.

"Barney Frank is gaining momentum and the move by the government to seize winnings set for online poker players in the US has drawn the ire of millions of Americans," said Blasky, "this no longer is under the table type of issue. People are upset about the current laws, and they are letting their local politicians know how they feel."

The fact that Young, who is one of the longest serving Representatives in Washington, signed on to the Bill is a huge step in the right direction. It was the "old-school" Republicans that helped block Frank's attempt last year to overturn the UIGEA, and the idea that some of them are now in favor of Internet gambling legalization is uplifting for the online gaming community in the US.

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