With details of Congressman Barney Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007 (IGREA) recently published, if the UIGEA gets overturned, it will still be up to individual states to decide whether they want to regulate online gambling or not, and if so, which specific sectors of the industry. In States like Washington, where online gambling is considered a Class C Felony, U.S. gamblers may still find it hard to log into an online casino even if the IGREA is passed.

In a recent article by Seattle Times columnist, Danny Westneat, he interviewed an online poker player residing in Washington, who contrary to any preconceived views of what a Class C Felon looks like, reveals that the majority of U.S. online gamblers are middle-class folks holding steady jobs and making some extra income off of recreational online gambling. True, while some are better at it than others, the bottom line is that the vast majority of players are keeping online gambling a healthy pastime.

Westneat's article revealed that this particular poker player played on two computer screens with up to nine simultaneous poker tables, culminating in approximately 250 hands every hour-and-a-half. Much like playing video games, the player likened his online poker gambling to doing brain teasers. Only these brain teasers earned him an additional $45,000 in annual income - all which the player may or may not report on his income tax filing.

Apparently, some Washington State politicians are rethinking the extreme legislation that provides the same punishments for online gambling offences as it does for grave robbers and child pornographers. Representative Chris Strow recently submitted a proposal to provide exclusion to online poker players, yet the provisions to criminalize all forms of online gambling remain.

Westneat drew attention to the fact that the government is trying in vain to put an end to online gambling. However, it appears the industry - being met by demand - has grown too large to stop. Most would agree that the only sound and reasonable option is to regulate it. If Frank's legislation is embraced by other members of Congress, the House Financial Services Committee Chairman will introduce it for debate and a vote. It will then be up to individual state's on how far they want to go with regulation.