PPA hoping to delay UIGEA compliance date

[The Buzz]

The finanical services industry in the U.S. must fall into full compliance with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) on December 1. The Poker Players Alliance is hoping to delay this date.

PPA Executive Director John Pappas told Poker News Daily that the PPA is "working with Barney Frank and others for a non-legislative solution to clarifying or delaying the UIGEA regulations. Given everything on the Chairman’s plate, one thing off of it is a good thing. We’re hoping to see a delay.”

One strategy the PPA is potentially pursuing is utilizing the Administrative Procedure Act. According to About.com, the law is typically used by federal agencies to create regulations to enforce laws passed by Congress. The Administrative Procedure Act was passed in 1946 and Pappas noted that the measure “allows for individuals and organizations like the PPA to weigh in with the Department of the Treasury and ask for a delay of a proposed rule.” As many poker players remember, the regulations of the UIGEA were rubber-stamped as “midnight rules” by the outgoing Bush Administration. They were officially adopted on January 19th, one day before U.S. President Barack Obama assumed office.

[JonOfFinsbury]

From the EGR Snapshot on Monday:

A bipartisan group of US legislators has sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke requesting they extend the deadline for compliance with the final regulations implementing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) by a year. The letter, also signed by 13 members of the Financial Services Committee, described the regulations, which are due to take effect on 1 December 2009 as an “unreasonable burden on regulators and the financial services industry at a time of economic crisis.”

[Anthony]

It would be nice if we saw a delay. I'm not sure there is a high level of enforcement in UIGEA now. I don't want to see how difficult it will be once enforcement is in place.