With the 2009 year coming to an end, it appears as though the status quo will be the way the 2010 year starts for online gambling within the United States. Even though there have been some victories won on behalf of the online gambling lobby, the truth of the matter is that there have also been many defeats that seem to have balanced out the victories. In particular, one recent major victory and one recent major defeat can act as a microcosm for what the year has been like for the online gambling lobby.

In terms of the victory, online gambling in the United States was granted a six month reprieve against having to endure the full force of UIGEA enforcement. The act, which was set to gain the full measure of its power at the start of 2010, will now be set back by six months while Congress considers motions that have been put forth under the leadership of Barney Frank in the House of Representatives. These motions, if passed, would seek to eventually legalize and regulate online gambling within the country. Because something of that magnitude would go a long way towards nullifying the original intent of the UIGEA, the only logical course of action was to go ahead with the six month reprieve.

For every victory however, it appears that there is a defeat. A report done by the FBI on the subject of online gambling has reached some disturbing conclusions about the activity. Things like the ease of online gambling collusion, the ease of money laundering and the difficulty of instituting effective underage protections through internet channels were covered in the report. The report was in turn quoted by Spencer Bachus (R-Alabama), easily the staunchest opponent of online gambling in Congress.

These two happened within days of each other and therefore illustrate the up and down nature of online gambling in the United States. Right now, it seems like a game of one step forward and one step backward, the end result of which is the status quo that is likely to continue into the next calendar year.