Even though the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act is stalled in the courts and Representative Barney Frank and other democrats are fighting to overturn the legislation. But MasterCard has already put steps in place to prevent people using their credit or debit cards to make deposits to online poker rooms, online casinos and other online gambling sites if the credit card account comes from the United States.
Players in the United States are still able to use echecks, bankwires, and some other credit cards to deposit money to accounts with their favorite online casino or poker room but as the country moves closer to the July deadline for the UIGEA using any credit card is likely to become more difficult.
But there may be hope in the wings. Poker lobbyists are actively working to delay and overturn the UIGEA. Barney Frank is the most outspoken Democrat opposing the legislation but others are joining in. Much of the opposition to the bill comes from conservative American Christians but the numbers may not be adding up in their favor. Currently traffic from the United States accounts for about half the revenue for online gambling. This means that despite the conservative push, online gambling is a hobby for many Americans. Legalizing gambling could lead to taxing the play and bringing in millions of needed dollars for the US economy. Making it illegal is just going to drain the budget trying to enforce the unenforceable. Right now, online gambling in the United States resembles drinking during the days of prohibition. You need the secret password to get in, but everyone knows that everyone else is doing it.
If people want to gamble, resources will come through to make it possible for Americans to put their own money toward a hobby they want to pursue. Whether or not the government gets to benefit from that is still in question.