A new tax law is being prepped for release that will require a 2% tax on the deposits that players make in online poker rooms and casinos in the United States.  This new law is the first attempt to collect revenue from online poker rooms and casinos by the United States and many proponents of playing online poker at sites such as Fulltiltpoker.com have been quick to rally behind the concepts behind such laws that would allow the United States government to generate tax revenue from online poker rooms and casinos rather than trying to limit their ability to operate at all.  By taxing the money that flows through online poker rooms and casinos such as Fulltiltpoker.com, the United States government can self police and allow regulations and safeguards to be put in place to protect consumers online.  The United Kingdom already has a law that provides all types of consumer protection including protection from underage gambling online as well as a hotline for problem gamblers and gamers to assist them with treating their addictions and habits.

But the law in its current form would simply tax the deposits made in poker rooms online at 2% and provide little tangible benefits for the online poker room and casino player or the establishment.  While the sweeping changes made to laws in the United Kingdom were designed to protect the users at online poker rooms and casinos from fraud and other scrupulous activities, the United States Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative has no contingency or plan for collecting any type of revenue to put towards providing any type of resources for these types of problem gamers and seems to be intent only on collecting tax revenue from online poker room players.  Shrugging off options that closely resemble the laws and regulations passed in the United Kingdom, the United States has chosen to adopt a much harsher policy of simply collecting money off the top of poker players' earnings.

While many feel that this is the first step in the right direction for the government to take in it's attempt to earn money from online poker rooms and casinos, it remains to be seen how effective any programs will be that intend to collect revenue from online poker rooms and casinos without providing any type of tangible benefits for the user.