There’s no doubt that the situation for online gambling in the United States might have taken a turn for the worse, but then there’s always a silver lining and every cloud, and this time it came in the form of Senator Jon Kyl. John Kyl, one of those who were strongly opposed to the idea of legalizing online poker, has just softened his stance on the issue.
A New Statement
The whole idea of Senator Jon Kyl softening his stance came from an update in his website. The senator listed “updating the law to account for new technologies” as one of the different issues that he will have to tackle in the next 18 months. Does that mean he’s considering online gambling? Probably. He said in a statement that he opposed efforts for legalization of online gambling because of the social implications. The issues of age verification and gambling addiction play a big role in why Kyl opposes the very idea. But then he says he’s willing to make concessions and there’s a possibility that he might just change his mind.
He acknowledges that poker is viewed by many as a game of skill rather than a game of chance, and this will no doubt influence Kyl’s decision. In his exact words: “Until I have the chance to review them I cannot make a judgment about their merits, but I will consider them carefully as long as they leave in place the broader proscriptions against online betting.” It’s nothing definite yet but then again that’s always better than an outright ‘no’. At least he’ll be considering them, and that’s more than we can say for some senators who refuse to keep an open mind.
Changing his mind
Considering that Jon Kyl was one of the strongest supporters of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), this is a pretty big development for the online poker industry. People suspect that the reason why Kyl is changing his mind is that he is no longer going to run for a fourth term in office. This means that he no longer needs to lead the crusade against social evils. As such, he can consider the benefits of allowing online poker without much worry. Still, whatever his reason may be for changing his mind, we have to be really thankful for this stroke of good luck. Online poker is not getting much concessions from the US, but this could be a beginning.
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