The Internet Gaming Study Commission Act, which was drawn up by Nevada Republican House Member, John C. Porter, was introduced on May 24 of this year. With the sole intentions of creating a bipartisan commission to investigate and research the online gambling industry, and its relation to interstate commerce and state gambling laws, the act is the answer to the American Gaming Associations request in April to conduct such a study.

Following up on the House Resolution, Congressman Porter recently issued a short letter to other members of Congress, urging them to cease from jumping to quick conclusions about the online gambling industry.  Attached to his letter, Porter also included a Los Angeles Times editorial entitled "Don't Bet the House".  In the editorial, the online casino gambling prohibition bills of Representative's Bob Goodlatte and James Leach are regarded as questionable legislation that has too many carve-outs that would prohibit domestic casino operators from processing online bets, but would still permit U.S. citizens to make bets through foreign online casino and gambling sites.

Whether or not the online gambling industry is too expansive and broad to be effectively prohibited or whether regulation of the industry (as Britain has just introduced) is the most realistic solution, remains to be seen.  However, one thing is for certain.  The time for which U.S. legislation has remained in the grey area has expired.  It is clear that something needs and will be done.  If the bills of Goodlatte and Leach are rejected, which there is a strong chance of happening, it may take until next year before a study - as introduced by Congressman Porter - goes into effect.

As for the American Gaming Association, they still stand by their recent shift of opinion regarding online casinos and online gambling.  As if preemptively heeding Porters request to remain open, the AGA is giving online gambling a chance, while still remaining neutral to the anti-gambling bills that are coming before the full House of Representatives shortly.