In what is being thought of as the very first grassroots campaign for a non-traditional issue in America, the "Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative" is to be launched by the UK-based online payment processor, UC Group, and the international accounting firm, Baker Tilly. Following the announcement by Congressman Barney Frank that he will introduce legislation to counter the effects of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (which seeks to ban online casino gambling and poker) the two companies hired the well respected lobbying firm, Alston & Bird LLP, who in turn, has contracted help from the Downey McGrath Lobbying Group to start drumming up support for Frank's legislation.

Congressman Frank has all the while been urging U.S. citizens who are passionate about their personal freedom to gamble online to let their Congressional representatives know how they feel about the issue. Only with large public support and backing by other members of Congress will Frank push the legislation forward. And as Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Frank certainly has the power to get the ball rolling.

UC Group, which provides fraud prevention and detection as well as age and geo-location technology to all sorts of online businesses, including online casinos, has been lobbying the U.S. Congress since Spring of 2005. They are now drastically stepping up their efforts and already have a website up and running at www.safeandsecureig.com Online casino gamblers are being urged to stay abreast with their efforts, and to spread the word to other players who hope to see Frank's legislation introduced and passed.

The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative will not only serve to educate the general public about the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, it will seek to collect more support from organizations and companies in true grassroots fashion. Baker Tilly, which has approximately 7,000 U.K. clients and $2 billion in revenues, certainly has the backing to keep the initiative strong. In the meantime, Congresswoman Shelly Berkley from Nevada, is apparently making good on her efforts to commission a legitimate study of the U.S. facing online gambling industry, which would likely stall the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act from going into effect.