U.S. Sen. Frank a hero to online gamblers

WASHINGTON, July 13 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., is a hero for working to legalize the online gambling industry, officials in the Internet trade say.

PokerSourceOnline.com Media Relations Director Dan Cypra said the representative of Massachusetts' 4th District has been an incalculable force in the fight for online gambling legalization in the United States, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.

"A deity might be a good word to use," Cypra said of Frank and his efforts.

As House Financial Services Committee chairman, Frank has proposed legislation that would aid in the industry's fight despite ongoing criticism from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Frank has maintained that activities such as gambling, both in casinos and on the Internet, are personal decisions and should not involve government intervention.

"If it affects me, mind your own business," he said. "If affects others, let the government get involved."

The Globe said Frank fell short in his fight for such personal rights last month when an amendment he created was defeated in Congress. The measure would have stopped the government from implementing rules regarding a 2006 federal ban on financial transactions with online gambling sites.