The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 was rammed through Congress by the Republican leadership in the final minutes before the election period recess. According to Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), no one on the Senate-House Conference Committee had even seen the final language of the bill. The bill was attached to a port security bill, the "Safe Port Act," which was politically impossible to oppose, the prohibition codifies a ban passed as separate legislation in the House of Representatives back in July. It is expected to reach President Bush's desk to be signed into law with the port bill in the next couple of weeks.

Depending on how it is enforced, the ban, which prohibits the use of credit cards, electronic funds transfers, checks and other financial instruments in Internet gambling transactions, effectively closes down the sector's largest single market - good for at least half of the $12 billion in online revenues worldwide.

"The new legislation ... will make it practically impossible to provide U.S. residents with access to real money poker and other real money gaming sites," Party Poker said in a statement issued Monday. CEO Mitch Garber called the bill a "significant setback for our company, our shareholders, our players and our industry." The Gibraltar-based leader in online poker said it will "suspend" its U.S. business if the bill is signed into law.

The complete Bill and commentary by Lawyer I. Nelson Rose can be read on the Gambling and the Law Website.