The Poker Lab Rat

US online poker players may have found a champion - and not at any poker table.

Online-gambling indicator stocks rose yesterday after the Financial Times said House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank plans to repeal a law passed last year that criminalized the industry.

Congressman Frank has long been opposed to a ban on internet gambling and it is hoped that with a strengthened Democratic party on Capitol Hill, he may be able to push through changes which would at least soften the law.

Speaking in Congress last year prior to the UIGEA, he responded to claims that online gaming contributes nothing to the US economy by stating, “Has it become the role of this Congress to prohibit any activity that an adult wants to engage in voluntarily if it doesn’t add to the GDP or make us more competitive? What kind of socio-, cultural authoritarianism are we advocating here?”

Addressing the moral argument, Mr. Frank went on to say “I agree there is a practice around today that causes a lot of problems, damages families, people lose their jobs, they get in debt. They do it to excess. It is called drinking. Are we going to go back to Prohibition? Prohibition didn’t work for alcohol; it doesn’t work for gambling.”

Go that man!

In the interim here’s a link to a quick comparison of the top 2 poker sites for US players. The support crews at these sites will help out with any payment hassles and do offer some great online poker.