Obama, the DOJ, & the US Gambling Industry

When Obama was campaigning in 2008 for the Presidential race, many of the Americans that support online gambling had considered Obama to be the shining hope for the industry. With his message of “Change” and the acknowledgement that he plays poker, Americans felt that he may attempt to legalize online gambling or at least soften the government’s view.



Unfortunately, things have gotten worse for the industry. Gamblers thought the industry was bad under the Bush administration, but the Obama administration has ratched up prosecutions. The Department of Justice is going after payment processors for the online gaming industry, even before the UIGEA has been implemented and things aren’t looking good for US online gambling.



Their is still a glimmer of hope with the legislation that House Representative, Barney Frank is pushing through Congress, but with so much on the agenda right now, it’s difficult to see this new law being passed in 2009. In the meantime, Americans should be looking to their president for the change that he promised so often in his campaign. Give Americans the freedom to entertain themselves from the comfort of their own homes without intrusion.