Spencer Bachus
Rep. Spencer Bachus

In what is certainly a sign of the times, longtime anti-online gambling proponent U.S. congressional representative Spencer Bachus (R.-Ala.) has taken a stand against mobile casinos. “After all of the talk of the past year of shutting the casinos down on Wall Street,” stated Bachus in a recent congressional hearing, “why would we take steps today to open casinos in every bedroom and every dorm room on iPods, Blackberrys, iPhones, and computers?”

While hearing another screed from a high-ranking politician on the dangers of playing a little online casino blackjack is hardly newsworthy, those interested in changing the current repressive law on online and mobile casinos in America at present should take note of the name, because Bachus may soon be in a position to make gaming freedom even harder to come by in America.

Should the Republicans achieve a majority in the House of Representatives in November, Bachus has his eye on the Financial Services Committee chairmanship, recently proclaiming to CNBC that “I will be the chairman [of the committee] if we’re in the majority.” That title is now held by Barney Frank (D-Mass.), clearly the biggest proponent of full legalization for online casinos in the U.S. and author of several bills proposing liberalization of federal law on the subject.

Players who currently enjoy mobile phone gambling may soon have a new enemy beyond that 16 at the online blackjack table, namely Rep. Spencer Bachus.