Four congressmen who voted in favour of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act back in 2006 have sent an open later to the Federal Reserve Board and the US Treasury asking for clarification of the act.

The four Republican congressmen - Judy Biggert, Jim Gerlach, Christopher Shays and Kevin McCarthy - state that they still agree with the act, but that it is problematic due to its vague nature which makes it unworkable.

They call for the Treasury and the Board to clearly define what is mean by 'Unlawful Internet Gambling'.

The foursome state that the UIGEA in its current format puts an unnecessary burden on small businesses and the financial sector which is tasked with blocking transactions to gambling sites.

They ask for a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis to determine the real financial impact that the UIGEA has had.

The letter goes on to say that the UIGEA does not give clear guidance to the general public and it is unclear where skill games come into the picture - a clarification which could bring hope to the millions of online poker players who insist their hobby is a game of skill and not pure chance, therefore should be excluded from the ban.

The lack of clarity means it is harder to tackle the real problems and enforce the act. The congressmen suggest that the definition should be formally recognised in a process overseen by a judge or legal authority and should take into account state and federal laws to define unlawful internet gambling.

This letter brings the UIGEA back into discussion with the possibility that things could improve for the online gambling industry.