Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), at podium. Photo from Facebook
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) makes no secret of his love for the game of poker. Barton lives in a suburb of Dallas, Texas. But since poker isn't legal there except for tournaments without money or prizes, he sometimes heads across the border to a tribal casino in Oklahoma, The Fort Worth Star Telegram reports. “Poker is the all-American game,” Barton told the paper. “There are literally millions of Americans who play poker in some form nearly every week."
The WinStar World Casino and Resort, in Thackerville, Oklahoma. Photo from Facebook
The paper didn't say where Barton likes to gamble. The WinStar World Casino and Resort, owned by the Chickasaw Nation, is about two hours from Ennis and is the closest tribal facility in Oklahoma. Barton prefers to play in person but he knows the Internet represents a huge segment of the market. That's why he introduced H.R.2888, the Internet Poker Freedom Act, on June 25 to legalize adn regulate the game. The day before Barton brought his bill to the House, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) introduced S.1668, the Restoration of America's Wire Act. The bill outlaws all forms of online wagering. Graham is seeking the Republican nomination for president. Get the Story:
Texas hold ’em — legal in Texas? (The Fort Worth Star Telegram 7/4)
Related Stories
California
tribes still divided over efforts to legalize online poker (05/27) Bo Mazzetti: California must regulate Internet poker games (05/18)
Editorial: Regulate online poker games to protect consumers (05/12)
Dave Palermo: Tribes in California assert right to Internet poker (04/24)
Opinion: Tribes must be at table for Internet poker in California (02/23)
Join the Conversation
