While the Federal Justice Department invokes the Wire Act to maintain that online poker is illegal, North Dakota House of Representatives passed the bill approving online legislation in the state and later today the State Senate will review the bill to consider approval. The Wire Act was passed to outlaw sports gambling across the nation and, so far, there is no evidence that online poker falls under the scope of that law.

A significant number of online gaming industry officials, professionals and legislators have convened in Bismark, North Dakota's capital city, to support the bill that is currently under review by the state legislature to license and regulate online poker for the state's residents. There is no statewide precedent for legislation that would allow authorities to regulate and tax Internet poker. With or without this legislation, the industry is likely to continue to grow, but the legislation will help industry professionals to better prevent problems associated with gambling.

Industry lobbyists include the CEO of UK-based Sportingbet, Nigel Payne, the CEO of Card Player Magazine's online site, Allyn Jaffrey Shulman, as well as state legislator Frank Catania, the former director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, who currently serves as independent director of online gaming regulatory body eCOGRA. Even eCOGRA itself has issued a statement in support for the online poker bill. A North Dakota Native, 2004 World Series of Poker winner Greg Raymer, also came to lobby for the cause.

In an industry that generated US$237 billion in 2004 and will reach US$277 billion by 2008, in spite of the US Government's prohibition stance, everything is not just down to money. Regulators in countries that legislate online gambling demand safeguards to prevent underage gambling, overspending by players and collusion during poker games. Nigel Payne said: "This is a huge industry that exists, and it's here to stay. You've got two simple choices, regulate it or don't regulate it." The idea is that unless online gambling is regulated the probability of problem gambling will be materially higher, as there is no statute to protect the vulnerable. Licensing Internet poker sites can help prevent gambling by youngsters, compulsive gambling and other consequences that concern state policy-makers. (E-03.09.05)

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