Winning hand

Politics: Abramoff scandal resurrects an effort to curb internet gambling | John Dawson

There's a good chance that in the coming weeks or months, the U.S. House of Representatives will pass a measure making it harder for Americans to gamble on the internet. The very same measure died in the House in 2000 and its chief proponent, Rep. Jim Leach, an Iowa Republican, has had trouble gaining traction for the bill since then.

But something happened in the past few months to give the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, H.R. 4411, new life. The downfall of lobbyist Jack Abramoff has spurred Congress to consider reforming the way it does business—from how congressmen use pork to the amount of power and influence lobbyists can exert on Capitol Hill. The rising tide of sentiment for reform helped sweep Ohio Republican John Boehner, a self-styled reformer, into power as the new House majority leader.