While some speakers at the hearing concerning online casino taxation before the House Ways and Means Committee oppose allowing online betting, even they said the issue should be resolved by the states.

While various positions were elucidated at today's House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Representative Jim McDermott's bill outlining taxation for online gambling, even those opposed to Internet gaming admitted the Federal Government probably shouldn't be deciding the issue. Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican, said the need for money shouldn't outweigh negatives he sees in online gambling, but added the issue properly belongs to the states.

"People sometimes resort to drastic things when they are strapped for cash," said Bob Goodlatte. Still, he agreed with supporters of regulation that a federal ban is not the solution, saying states should be able to make their own decisions.

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Prior to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) that was introduced in the U.S. in 2006, PartyGaming was one of the largest online gambling providers in that country. However, they were forced to pull out of the U.S. after the Act was introduced. This week PartyGaming announced that they are noticing an increased momentum towards the regulation of online poker in the U.S. and are preparing to make a return.

Jim Ryan, PartyGaming Chief Executive, announced that it was possible that the UIGEA could be overturned as early as this year and that in the event of this happening, they are fully prepared. Last year PartyGaming reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice and all the company's wrongdoings in the past was cleared by them. This agreement has left an opening for the online casino operator to re-enter the U.S.

Online gambling market should the UIGEA be overturned. They could, however, re-enter the U.S. market without the UIGEA being overturned as Lawmakers in many states are contemplating regulating online poker. In the event of the Lawmakers being successful PartyGaming will be permitted to gain licenses to operate within those states.

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Canada's provincial lotteries are joining together to create a national online casino site, offering online casino players a safe and regulated series of sites. The British Columbia Lottery Corporation is linking with other Canadian lotteries to permit online casino access across the country, according to reports by the Canwest News Service. The company, owned by the province, will join with the Atlantic Lottery and Loto-Quebec to offer Internet gaming over a standardized platform.

A gambling consultant with the Atlantric Lottery Bob Rybak said he expects the provinces not currently operating online casino games to join the project, giving Canada a unified system of online gambling. The new network would be accessible not only to computer users, but also through mobile phone applications.

However, some gambling critics showed their lack of education regarding problem gambling, saying the online gambling project would bring a great danger of increased problem gambling to Canada.

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A Poker Players Alliance executive reveals a split in the Republican Party over online casino, with the growing libertarian forces opposed to the online casino prohibition. An article published on conservative website biggovernment.com says the legislative battle over online casino and online poker may hold the future of the Grand Old Party. Rich Muny of the Poker Players Alliance writes that social conservatives are growing alarmed at the emerging libertarian focus of the anti-big government movement, and may make the online casino ban a point on which to draw a desperate stand.

Rich Muny cites written opinions expressed by a number of influential Republicans opposing the prohibition of online casino, from the PPA's own Alfonse D'Amato to Dick Armey, George Will, and Ron Paul. Rich Muny also added that the social conservatives controlling such groups as the infamous Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council are feeling their strength sap away.

"In this environment, perhaps it is not surprising that some Republican lawmakers feel that going after online poker could shore up the support of the dwindling ranks of social issue statistics, It is up to conservatives to tell their lawmakers that they demand fidelity to conservative principles. If we do not want them wasting political capital on online poker bans, and if we do not want them fighting for smaller government fifty percent of the time and for larger government the remaining fifty percent, we need to tell them." writes PPA's Rich Muny.

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Online casino is a growing phenomenon in households nationwide, many people sit down after a hard day's work and login to try their luck at online gambling. Some play professionally, others for recreation, but both probably feel that there is little harm in doing it. The House of Representatives thinks differently about the issue.

Jim McDermott's proposal to use revenue collected from online gambling taxes to fund foster care will soon receive a hearing before the House Ways and Means Committee. Representative Jim McDermott's bill taxing online gambling and using the revenue to fund foster care programs may have a hearing before the House Ways and Means Committee as soon as next week, according to a report by PokerNews.com. The bill, a companion piece to Barney Frank's measure detailing regulation for Internet gaming, will most likely be discussed on the 19th or 20th.

While there has been a fair amount of informal talk about online gambling among the members of Barney Frank's Financial Services Committee, the topic will be new and unfamiliar to many members of the Ways and Means Committee. John Pappas, executive director of the Poker Players Alliance, says his group is trying hard to educate Congressmen on the subject before the hearing.

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