As reported on GamblingCompliance.com recently, Senate majority leader Harry Reid of Nevada joined Senator John Kyl of Arizona in agreeing on the final text of a very important online poker bill. The two have been strong online poker proponents in their respective states for some time, and have in recent months jumped the virtual fence that separates the two states in an effort to provide a consolidated front concerning online poker legislation passage. The executive director of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), John Pappas, reported that the two have finished brushing up the proposed bill and are ready to get it to Capitol Hill.

The two senators have been in cahoots since January of this year and have spent the last several months refining the wording of the bill so it would have the widest appeal to state and federal legislators. Although no timetable has been revealed, presentation of the proposed federal online poker bill is likely to happen sooner than later. Kyl and Reid could not be reached for comment, however Pappas, who has worked closely with the Senators and whose PPA organization is strongly sponsored by both men, said that the exact release of the bill now that it is finally done is all about timing, also commenting that “The real deal is going to happen in the Senate.”

John Kyl views the bill as very important to his legacy as a representative in Arizona, and he and Reid both have vehemently applauded the passage of legalized online gambling legislation in Delaware this past month. While Reid helped get online poker passed in his state, Delaware became the first state to pass a comprehensive online gambling provision, covering the full package of casino table games rather than poker alone. However, time is running out for the House to step forward and vote either one way or another on the fate of online poker in 2012.

Joe Barton is a representative from the state of Texas who has been out in front making public appearances and getting his name attached to online poker backing. He commented that if a vote is not made in the House of Representatives by the end of July, Reid and Kyl would have to wait until after the Presidential election to ensure their Bill gets properly noticed. Barton may be speaking of his vision through rose colored glasses when he stated that he believes the House has enough votes to pass the legislation, but also feels that the Senate will not move forward with the bill until they are positive it will pass and move on to the next level of voting.

Kyl and Reid join Texas’ Barton as respected legislators who put a positive face on online poker legislation. As July winds down, it appears that individual states are still going to have to decide their own fate as far as online poker is concerned. However the overall picture for online poker in the US is drastically positive compared to just eight months ago when the US Department of Justice still considered it illegal in every form. We currently have two states which have adopted online poker as a legal reality, and several senators and other legislators who want to make it a federally regulated reality. Both of those circumstances shine a positive light on the future of online poker in the United States.