U.S. Online Poker Politics Update

There’s lots going on in United States politics regarding legalizing online poker, casino, and sports betting gambling. Take a look a some of the more recent highlights:

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) made an appearance for the first time ever at a CPAC convention. CPAC is the Conservative Political Action Conference, a Republican group. The PPA was met with surprising support at CPAC 2010 as many at the conference recognized the economical value of regulating online poker in this country. Poker Stars Pro and former WSOP Main Event champ Greg “Fossilman” Raymer was present to sign autographs.

Virgin, the Richard Branson owned megacorp that already runs a record company (Virgin Records) and an airline (Virgin Airlines) is looking to get into the online poker and casino gambling markets, including possibly in the U.S. This won’t be the first time Brit Branson will be going against the grain, after successfully fighting U.S. law to become the first airline owned by more than 25% non-American interests to fly in the continental U.S. So it seems legal U.S. poker at a fledgling Virgin Poker may be a realistic prospect on the horizon.

Iowa is trying to pass legal online poker and casino gambling within its state’s borders, with the expectation that the state may be first to actually pass such a law, even ahead of California that’s still embroiled in in-fighting among tribal gaming commissions over whether to allow online poker and online casino gambling within California’s borders.

And finally, a bipartisan duo of senators introduced yet another bill into congress that would make it legal to play online poker in the U.S. This new bill is on the surface about “Tax Fairness” but stuck into the languaging are provisions allowing for legal U.S. online poker.