Lawmaker Makes Push for Legal Online Gambling – commentary

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The article reports on Representative Barney Frank’s proposal to legalize and regulate online gambling in the United States, as announced on May 6, 2009. Frank, then Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, introduced legislation called the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, aimed at replacing the government’s prohibition on online gambling with a federal regulatory system overseen by the U.S. Treasury Department.​

The bill sought to license and regulate Internet gambling providers, ensuring that only approved operators who meet strict requirements—including criminal background checks, financial audits, and safeguards against underage or compulsive gambling—could operate legally. The proposed framework would maintain a ban on sports betting to address concerns raised by organizations such as the NFL, while still allowing casino-style games like poker, blackjack, roulette, and keno.​

Frank’s proposal directly challenged the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, which restricted financial institutions from processing gambling-related transactions. He also introduced a second bill to delay enforcement of UIGEA’s regulations, describing the existing law as “unworkable.” Supporters—including Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and former Senator Alfonse D’Amato, representing the Poker Players Alliance—argued that legalization would protect consumers, bring transparency, and capture revenue from an industry then mostly operating offshore and worth an estimated $16 billion annually.​

Opponents, mainly conservative and family advocacy groups, contended that gambling preys on vulnerable populations and should remain banned. Additionally, despite bipartisan interest, Senate leadership—particularly Senator Harry Reid (D-NV)—publicly opposed the idea, making the bill’s immediate passage unlikely.​

In summary, the article outlines how Congressman Barney Frank’s 2009 effort represented a major push to replace prohibition with regulation, highlighting a broader policy debate between those prioritizing consumer protection and economic opportunity and those worried about moral and social impacts of online gambling.