Speaking in front of the iGaming North America (IGNA), outgoing American Gaming Association (AGA) president Frank Fahrenkopf was certain with what he said about regulating internet poker at the US federal level and that it still has a big chance despite the fact that he is leaving his position.
The powerful organization that represents the interests of land-based casinos continues to support the federal level of internet gaming regulation.
The AGA is a United States gaming industry association that was founded in 1995 with the intentions of educating, promoting and lobbying the interests of the gaming entertainment industry with the use of advocacy and education. Federal legislative as well as regulatory issues have affected its members and employees together along with their customers. This would include travel and tourism issues, federal taxation and regulatory matters as well.
Other assigned task of the AGA include serving as the gaming industry’s information clearing house that gives the public, media and, most especially the decision makers, accurate, right on schedule gaming industry data. This is the reason why Frank Fahrenkopf is adamant in showing his intentions of legalizing online poker at land-based casinos in Nevada.
What happened two months ago where all attempts to include a federal bill, which eliminated the possible D.C. legislation but instead led tp more likely state-by-state individual battles to fully legalize and implement online poker,
However, as per Fahrenkopf, hope is not gone since Rep. Joe Barton of Texas will introduce a new federal bill. He is known to be a huge supporter and sponsor of the earlier versions of federal internet gaming efforts. The content of his speech during the IGNA, which may be his last appearance inside the AGA, contained several politically-motivated quips.
One of the topics he tackled in his speech was the impact of tribal gaming on the future of i-gaming legislation, insisting that only on the federal level legislation should these demands for sovereignty be addressed and nowhere else. He threw a comment intended for the huge company, PokerStars as well as its parent company, Rational Group’s intention on having a firm grip on the New Jersey market. He was pointing out the purchase by the company of the dying Atlantic City casino, the Atlantic Club.
Story has it that the AGA, under Fahernkopf’s leadership, was responsible for the existing online poker law in Nevada that includes a variety of proverbial poison pills that seemed to hit PokerStars directly, including the ten-year “bad actor” lockout clause intended for companies that was associated with the US-based players after December 31, 2006. What will happen is yet to be seen in the future and everyone will simply have to wait to see how this all unfolds.
