The last few weeks have been full of encouraging news from Capitol Hill. On April 2nd, the House Financial Services committee held a hearing that exposed the pitfalls of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) for the world to see. On April 11th, it was announced that Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) and Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced HR 5767, bipartisan legislation that would prohibit the Federal Government from enforcing the regulations of the UIGEA. The PocketFives.com Podcast has played host to two of the men leading the charge for online poker on Capitol Hill. Last week, Congressman Frank joined the show for the second time. This week, we’re privileged to be joined by Congressman Robert Wexler, a Democrat from the 19th District of Florida. Congressman Wexler has introduced the Skill Game Protection Act, which would exempt poker, bridge, mah jong, chess, and other games of skill from all existing internet gambling legislation. He’s also signed on as a co-sponsor of HR 5767.

The hearing on April 2nd underscored just how inadequate the UIGEA and its regulations are. Congressman Wexler spoke out passionately about the need for a skill game exemption. He echoes his thoughts on the hearing: “The hearing highlighted the absolute absurdity of the Congressional effort largely led by Republicans to regulate lawful behavior by American adults in the privacy of their own homes. This hearing focused on what banks and other financial institutions would need to do in order to regulate and prohibit this kind of activity."

As many Congressmen learn about the UIGEA, the pro-online poker movement continues to gain momentum. After all, millions of Americans continue to spend large sums of money on poker. Congressman Wexler agrees: “Poker now is an American pastime. I believe more Americans watch poker than watch professional basketball. Americans love poker. It is played in the White House, in kitchen tables around the country, and in college dormitories. What Congress did last session under Republican control was say that poker couldn’t be played on the Internet. My legislation would undo that absurd prohibition. The Federal Government is spending its energy trying to prosecute people for playing poker online. It’s absurd.”

Congressman Wexler’s bill exempts games of skill from the UIGEA and Wire Act. In the context of his bill, that means games where the competition is primarily player versus player and not player versus the house. However, a regulatory framework is still needed. Congressman Wexler outlines his ideal regulatory environment: “What I would envision is that regulations rely upon technology to ensure that people playing are adults, have the appropriate means to play, aren’t underage players, and that there are protections against those who have gambling problems. In effect, we’d be implementing the same safety and security procedures that the casinos themselves implement. The last thing we want to do is engage the Federal Government in this process so that we invade people’s privacy or make the financial institutions become the law enforcement agency.”

Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, who has introduced her own internet gambling study legislation, has been quoted on the PocketFives.com Podcast as saying “If you don’t vote, you don’t count.” Congressman Wexler agrees: “Everyone needs to make their voice heard. America will be stronger and more secure if more and more Americans took their citizenship seriously and exercised their right to vote regardless of what party they may belong to or what candidate they may choose to support.” One-third of the U.S. Senate, the entire House of Representatives, and the U.S. Presidency are up for grabs in November’s elections.

Finally, Congressman Wexler discusses the importance of groups like the Poker Players Alliance in fighting for the rights of online poker players. He commended the organization and others like it, saying: “I think these groups have performed an enormously important service and are engaged behind an important issue. They’re protecting privacy, they’re protecting freedom, and they’re advocating for people to be able to play the games of their choice. The irony is people have been playing poker in America for decades. The idea that we would prohibit people from playing poker using the technology of the 21st century just doesn’t make sense.”

Hear more by checking out the PocketFives.com Podcast today at www.pocketfives.com/podcast. PocketFives.com would like to thank the staff at Congressman Wexler’s office for coordinating this interview.