Seed NewsvineChock another one up in support for Congressman Barney Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act. Now with 47 co-sponsors, the IGREA has it's third co-sponsor this year and continues to gain momentum for a chance at overturning the inadequate provisions of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
Democrat Tim Bishop from the 1st District of New York is the latest politician to trump support for the IGREA (House Resolution 2046), as the failings and misdirection of the UIGEA become increasingly evident. As various U.S. agencies attempt to mandate enforcement protocols of the UIGEA, U.S. citizens continue to gamble at online casinos and poker rooms as if nothing had ever changed. Considering the staggering lack of direction and roadblocks the UIGEA is now facing, things are not expected to change.
Just recently, the American Banking Association, which represents the vast majority of all U.S. financial banking institutions, gave a report to the U.S. Department of Treasury citing numerous impracticalities of the UIGEA, essentially stating it will be impossible to effectively enforce the law. Furthermore, ABA criticized the bill for its vagueness and lack of direction. Apparently expecting U.S. financial institutions to deputize an enforcement body, there is no governmental department charged with overseeing enforcement.
With these flaws coming to light and regulation successfully underway in other areas like the UK and South Africa, more members of Congress are stepping forward to support online gambling regulation. As for Congressman Bishop, who is serving his third consecutive term, he also acts as a member of the House Committee on Budget, Education and Labor, Transportation and Infrastructure. A champion of rights for middle-class families, seniors and the public education system, Bishop adds tremendous credence to the IGREA with his co-sponsorship.