Barney Frank, Champion of Poker and LGBTQ Rights, Dies at 86

Barney Frank, the former U.S. Congressman from Massachusetts, passed away at the age of 86. He had been receiving hospice care at his home in Ogunquit, ME, following congestive heart failure. Frank served in Congress for over 30 years, during which he became a prominent figure in the poker community for his advocacy for the game.

Frank co-sponsored the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007, which aimed to federally license, regulate, and tax online gaming operators. This legislation was proposed in response to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, which prohibited operators from accepting payments for online gaming. Frank's bill sought to create an exemption to the UIGEA, allowing for a regulated online gaming landscape.

Beyond his work in poker regulation, Frank was a staunch advocate for LGBTQ rights. He was the first member of Congress to publicly announce that he was gay and later became the first congressman to marry someone of the same sex. Frank also played a crucial role in helping the country avoid a financial collapse in 2007 by working with the Bush administration. Additionally, he collaborated with former Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd to pass the Dodd-Frank Act, which enhanced consumer protections and added new capital requirements for banks. Frank declined to seek re-election in 2012 and is survived by his husband, Jim Ready, sisters Ann Lewis and Doris Breay, and brother David Frank.