The Poker Freedom Act was filed today by US Representative Joe Barton (R-TX) and is the latest attempt to legalize online poker in the United States. The bill covers most bases in regards to legalizing the game but there are a couple of glaring holes in this bill that need to be either clarified or closed to prevent controversy. Small Casinos May Get Shut Out Via Current Definitions John Mehaffey broke down the Barton bill over on LegalPokerSites. com and made an interesting point regarding what qualifies as a "Qualified Card Room.

In an unexpected turn of events, it now appears that the Barton bill will not only come up for a vote, but may actually pass. Sources close to Capitol Hill reveal that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reed and Rep. Joe Barton have been in negotiations with key leaders in Congress over the last two weeks and have even met briefly with President Obama on the bill. As sources have reported, recent jobless news has helped to change the minds of many Congressmen that were on the fence regarding the bills.