Negotiators from the Republican-led House and Senate reached a deal on the legislation Friday and attached it to unrelated legislation to bolster port security, which the Congress approved.

The final bill dropped earlier provisions opposed by some gaming interests that would have clarified that a 1961 federal law banning interstate telephone betting also covers an array of online gambling.

It was a minor victory for gaming companies, in that Frist dropped the important Wire Act part (as he knew this COULD NOT go through) and went underhand to put in place "toothless" legislation that is face saving for him.

This will have no effect on gaming, given what it says and how its going to go, and in fact should REMOVE a lot of the uncertainty, in that Frist and his Wire Act clarifications (which could effect the gaming world) had to be removed and is likely not to surface for a long time again.

Celebrate that this is a minor victory for the gaming companies, and their future is now a bit more secure IMO.



Measure to curb internet gambling falls short of applying existing laws to web

http://www.gambling911.com/internet-gambling-093006.html

Even House Homeland Security Committee Peter King Chairman Peter King, R-N.Y., who headed House-Senate negotiations on the port security bill seemed taken aback by the internet gambling measure.


The bill falls short of adding clarity to an already existing 1961 Wire Act that prohibits betting via phone across state lines and failed to apply that law to gambling on the web. This is being viewed as a slight victory for the online gambling community as it is now unlikely such revisions will ever be added in the future.

Internet gambling bill could get tied up in litigation...

http://www.gambling911.com/internet-gambling-bill-093006.html