Web poker advocates eyeing ‘supercommittee’

Sponsors of a House bill to legalize and regulate Internet poker confirm to Politico that they are trying to sell the idea to members of the House-Senate "supercommittee."

"We're making that an option they can seriously consider,"  Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas,  told Anna Palmer of the news organization.  "It's being seriously considered."

The 12-member supercommittee is in the midst of negotiations to find ways to reduce the deficit at least $1.2 trillion.

The sales pitch from advocates of legalization: A federal regulation system would create $40 billion in revenue over 10 years through licensing fees.

The grassroots Poker Players Alliance has sent nearly 7,000 emails to committee members,  executive director John Pappas told Politico.  Further it garnered 8,300 signers on an online petition.

While the push is coming from sponsors of the House bill,  Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., has been silent on the progress of his negotiations on the issue in the Senate.   Among others Reid has been in talks with Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.,  a traditional opponent of online gaming who appears to be open to a deal.

"A lot depends on Reid and Kyl," Barton conceded.

Also the American Gaming Association is lukewarm on the House bill and is not pushing for the supercommittee to get involved.  Signals like that from Reid and the major gaming lobby suggest the chances of legalizing poker via the supercommittee are steeply uphill.

"We're hoping that another piece of legislation will be introduced to legalize online poker," AGA president Frank Fahrenkopf told Politico.