Congressman Frank stays the course on the online gambling issue

The Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said on Thursday that he will continue to push for the lift of the online gambling ban which passed last year, attached to the unrelated Port Security Act.

The ruling of the WTO that this bill was illegal would help the Representative from Massachusetts in his agenda. However, Rep. Frank has no concrete steps to how he would proceed towards repealing of the last year's legislation. A considerable support from other legislators would be required for chairman Frank to continue forward with a possible legislation of his own.

”I think a reconsideration among my colleagues is beginning. It’s not far enough along yet so I wouldn’t move the bill but I plan to introduce the bill and if the storm of public unhappiness is great enough, I will try to substantially revise that ban.” - he said to reporters.

The ban on banks and credit card institutions to process transactions to offshore gambling website, also known as UIGEA, is expected to put an extreme load on every bank in the country, and it is deemed by many as unenforceable. A strong banking lobby is expected to form behind Congressman Barney Frank and his future bill.

04/12/2007