So what effect is the online gambling ban known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act or UIGEA, the separation of bank and online gambler, having in the world of mainstream politics?
Rogers Cadenhead of Watching the Watchers has an interesting theory on the subject, he speculates “I think Republicans lost both houses of Congress because President Bush signed a tough law against online gambling in October, weeks before the vote.”
Further comments by Cadenhead compare online poker to fantasy sports, and office pools on football games, he also iterates online poker players being taken out of their leagues, or groups, online, away from the hobby that many live and breath, from their vision of socializing and community, as a result, Cadenhead says, “A 500,000 member grassroots organization, the Poker Player’s Alliance, has sprung up to repeal the law.”
Cadenhead continues to explain in his theory, that most poker players are well off males, and they’re .. to paraphrase, pissed off.
In my own honest, and fairly non political opinion, I don’t think we can blame the UIGEA alone for the loss of the republican majority, though I am a registered Independent, I’d have to say the National ID and other crazy security measures that are a bit over the top have left many Democrats and Republicans alike looking for breathing space.
Keeping in mind that the vote was unanimous the lack of line item veto was likely just a bit to blame as well.