Government Spending Bill: Chances of Online Poker Attachment Slim

The much talked about Government Spending Bill that would allow the US Government to continue running into 2012 has been suggested as something a measure to legalize Internet poker could latch onto.

Texas Republican Congressman Joe Barton in his own words last week: 

“There’s going be an omnibus bill of some sort of in the next 3 weeks with a continued resolution to fund the government through next September. This bill could be a component of that if there are revenues in the bill,” said the Congressman.

That bill might go through as early as Friday December 16 and that could mark the end to this Congressional session. 

Bipartisan agreement is near on a massive $1 trillion-plus year-end spending package and should be reached in time avert a possible government shutdown this weekend, lawmakers said Thursday.

Much of the Government Spending Bill has already been publicized with no mention of online poker but still plenty of pork. 

As an example, the spending bill contains language to roll back Obama's loosening of restrictions on the rights of Cubans to send money to relatives on the island or travel to the island to visit them.

TheHill.com reported that Barton is also at the forefront of an effort to change the College Football Playoffs system, which is yet another reason for the online sportsbook operators to love Barton.  The College Basketball Playoffs, known as March Madness, attracts massive numbers of bettors. 

From TheHill.com: 

The bipartisan pair of Reps. Joe Barton (R-Texas) and Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) are unveiling their new Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus tomorrow, an initiative they say will help tackle some of the knotty issues that undercut the country's "most prestigious, tax-funded academic institutions."

But as The Dallas Morning News notes, the lawmakers have another priority as well: Putting a college football playoff into place. Barton, it seems, has proudly showed off his disgust for the current system over the years.

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher