Democrat Senator from New Jersey Robert Menendez has introduced a new bill, which is called the Internet Skill Game Licensing and Control Act, S. 3616. The objective of this bill is to establish a licensing and regulatory framework in the United States for control and supervision of Internet poker and other games of skill online.
The key feature of this bill is that it distinguishes between games of skill like poker and games of pure luck. The latter would include online casino games like slots and roulette. Sports betting is specifically mentioned as not being a game of skill. The objective of this exercise is clearly to remove poker from the purview of the UIGEA.
The bill advocates regulation in the following areas: vetting of potential licensees; implementation of technologies to prevent underage and problem gambling; prevention of fraud and customer abuse; prevention of money laundering and prevention of tax avoidance. This bill has been formulated with active support and inputs from the Poker Players Alliance.