It looks like online poker will not have any type of smooth ride in the USA.

Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) co-signed a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke last week opposing calls to delay the Dec. 1 compliance date of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act by one year.

Having two members of Congress openly oppose poker’s cause might not seem like a positive turn of events, but it’s actually encouraging.

We had to figure that poker’s detractors would respond to the letter initiated by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) backing the petition filed by the Poker Players Alliance, National Thoroughbred Racing Association and American Greyhound Track Operators Association.

While free poker remains legal it appears online poker for real money will still face an uphill battle, even though the new President has been reported to ‘really enjoy a game of poker”.