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Tuesday marked the second day of an important week for the American Gaming Association. The AGA, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C., launched the 11th annual Responsible Gaming Education Week (RGEW), which takes place between now and Friday, August 8th. The goal of the RGEW is to encourage casino “employees to begin a conversation about responsible gaming at home, on the job and in the community,” according to a press release distributed by the organization. AGA President and CEO Frank Fahrenkopf commented, “Responsible gaming is not just an issue for casinos, it’s an issue for the whole community.”

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WASHINGTON — A new bill that would limit the Internet gambling ban to sports betting while exempting poker and other online wagering is splitting poker advocates.

The Poker Players Alliance, a group that lobbies Congress against the ban, is opposed to the bill. Former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, R-N.Y., who is the alliance chairman, said it does nothing to clear up confusion about the definition of unlawful Internet gambling.

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Fourteen of the 15 men who face gambling charges have received their “get out of jail card” from the district attorney who has dropped the majority of charges against them.

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Just one week away from a scheduled meeting with the European Union about current online gaming regulations, the U.S. has postponed the trade talks. The EU requested the meetings because they feel the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is in violation of a treaty laid out by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

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This week, Congressman Pete Sessions, a Republican from Texas, introduced HR 6663, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Clarification and Implementation Act. It’s a bill that attempts to clarify the vague language of the UIGEA by taking aim at the sports betting industry in the United States. Under HR 6663, the Attorney General of the United States would be instructed to focus his UIGEA enforcement efforts on halting this enormous moneymaker. HR 6663 is summed up by its Rule of Construction at the end of the document: “No provision of this Act, or any amendment made by this Act, shall be construed as clarifying or implying that Internet bets or wagers, other than sports bets or wagers, which were accepted subsequent to October 13, 2006, are in violation of Federal law.” It’s gotten mixed reviews from around the online poker world.

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A group of east Montgomery poker players got a surprise Friday night when police officers busted in.

They were playing inside a business at 64 Bell Road that was licensed as El Camino, a scooter sales company, police said.

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Word broke on Friday across the online poker world that United States Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX) introduced HR 6663, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Clarification and Implementation Act of 2008. As the name implies, its purpose is to diagnose exactly what should be deemed legal and illegal under the UIGEA. Backed by three high-powered Congressmen as co-sponsors, all Democrats, HR 6663 represents the need for clarification to the law that was ushered through Congress and attached to the SAFE Port Act back in 2006. With Congress currently in an August recess, discussion on HR 6663 will not occur in the House Judiciary Committee until September at the earliest.

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On the second to last day of the 2008 Congressional session before the August recess in the United States, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing. Its goal was to discuss a resolution to place Karl Rove in contempt as well as discuss 12 bills for mark up. One of the bills on the agenda was HR 2140, the Internet Gambling Study Act, which was proposed by Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV). The hearing did not go as planned, however, with the Committee taking most of its time to discuss Rove, who was eventually found to be in contempt. Consequently, Berkley’s bill was not debated. On Thursday, Congress adjourned for the August recess, meaning the online poker world will have to wait until September in order for this, or any, piece of legislation to be discussed.

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Surprisingly, there are striking similarities between successful fund managers and professional poker players.

Competition poker has become the latest global craze — the surge in popularity coincides with the advent of the lipstick camera, which allows viewers at home to see the cards of the players as the hands unfold. This, as well as the remarkable sums of money at stake, has made poker a popular spectator sport.

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