30/11/2009, Online casino
The US Government decided to grant a delay in the implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act for another six months.
The Poker Players Alliance send a petition to US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and to federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to ask for the delay of the implementation of UIGEA rules until the 1st of June 2010.

“We are extremely pleased with the decision by the Federal Reserve and Treasury to grant the six month extension. This is a great victory for poker, but an even greater victory for advocates of good and fair public policy. These additional months are critical to provide legislators time to clarify UIGEA and pass legislation to licence and regulate poker early next year,” declared The Poker Players Alliance Chairman Alfonse D'Amato, thinking this delay will be the first step towards legal and regulated online poker in America.

The banks were forced to comply with the UIGEA regulations by the 1st of December 2009, before the delay was granted, and now this deadline was postponed until the first of June 2010.
Meanwhile, another piece of legislation that would regulate online poker was proposed by the New Jersey lawmaker Robert Menendez.
He said that over the past years, online poker has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment within the United States.
The Treasury and Federal Reserve commented on the delay: “The six month extension of the compliance period will facilitate the establishment of policies and procedures that require gambling businesses to document the legality of their activities to regulated entities.”

The delay will help online casinos to continue operations in the US market and banks to continue operating as normal until at least next summer.
The decision to delay the ban means that the banks will no longer be responsible for making sure that no payments reach internet gambling websites.
Meanwhile, the online poker industry is waiting for the hearing, which will take place at the Rayburn House Office Building this week, on the 3rd of December and it will be televised on the House Financial Services Committee website. Barney Franck, a supporter of the online gaming rights, will hold a hearing on two bills, H.R. 2266, Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act, and H.R. 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act.