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Politico on Thursday morning is reporting that long time opponent of online gambling, Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl, is retiring. Kyl is the co-author of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which passed in October 2006 and makes many forms of Internet gambling including poker illegal in the United States. Players themselves were excluded from any form of prosecution in that bill, however, while operators contend the activity is legal outside the US where they are based.
A source confirms to CNN that Kyl will signal that he does not plan to run.
Three senators who serve below Kyl -- Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and John Thune of South Dakota – await official word. Kyl is the number two Republican in Chamber.
Prior to 2006, Kyl had tried unsuccessfully to pass legislation that would ban online gambling since 1998.
He often referred to the activity as the “crack cocaine of gambling” and regularly mentioned how easy it is for children to access such sites, which has never been proven.
- Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
