MasterCard was the first of the major credit card companies to pull the plug on transactions to and from online gaming companies when it switched off the service last January.

Under the terms of the UIGEA, there is no need to turn off the service until June this year. However, it would appear that both MasterCard and Visa are keen to have a dry run.  Fortunately, for casino fans, the trial period might be short-lived, if Congressman Barney Frank gets his way.

The UIGEA act was tagged onto the Safe Port Act in 2006 at the very last minute. The Safe Port Act was critical and had to be passed. As a result, the UIGEA slipped through without anyone having a vote on whether or not is was a fair piece of legislation.

Frank has been championing a campaign to have the UIGEA repealed. The success of his efforts could depend on how much his fellow Democrats are willing to risk. In an election year, politicians do not usually like to take on major issues and risk losing votes.

One representative that will be in Frank's corner will be Ron Paul. The conservative representative from Texas is for online gambling regulations, and he is currently one of the most popular Republican lawmakers.

Paul won a straw poll at the CPAC convention last weekend which asked who would be the top candidate for President, and Paul won with thirty-one percent of the votes. Rep. Paul is already a co-sponsor on Frank's online gambling legislation that has been proposed.

Online casino players will now have to find alternative ways to fund their accounts. The irony of course is that this will drive cash transactions underground and is far more likely to lead to exactly what Republicans Bob Goodlatte and Jim Leach wanted to avoid.

“I live in the land of the free and I want to be able to spend my money where I want to spend it,” said one affected casino player. “It is painfully ironic that the Republican Party - that allegedly wants ‘less government’ - has decided to interfere in this part of my personal and private life.”