State legislation watch thread

[DrewOnTilt]

As more states take a peek at Internet gaming legislation, I figure we should have a state development containment thread.


Mod added cliff notes:
NOTE: updated cliffs now available here.

State Legislation Passed
Legalization:
NV (poker only, operated by NV casinos)
DE (online gaming, including poker, operated by the DE Lottery)
NJ (online gaming, including poker, operated by Atlantic City casinos)
Prohibition: WA, UT

Note: for timeline of passed legislation above and links to the legislative text, see:
U.S. Online Poker & Gaming Legislation History

State Legislation Pending
Legalization: CA, HI, IA

Other states that had legislation pending in 2011/2012 that didn't pass. (Possibly to be re-introduced in 2013/2014.)
Legalization: DC (legislation passed but repealed), FL, IL, MA, TX

States that had legislation pending in 2013/2014 that didn't pass.
MS

States known to be considering introduction of IGaming legislation
Legalization: CO, CT, KY, MD, ME, NH, NY, OH, PA
Prohibition: MI

[DrewOnTilt]

And of course we already have CA, FL, IA, NJ, and NV.

[TheDarkElf]

Originally Posted by PokerXanadu

States known to be considering introduction of legislation: Legalization: IA, CT, NH, NY, IL, DE.

NY? AFAIK, their only current interest is in selling lottery subscriptions online. But I can certainly be wrong. Link to some news item?

[PokerXanadu]

Originally Posted by TheDarkElf

NY? AFAIK, their only current interest is in selling lottery subscriptions online. But I can certainly be wrong. Link to some news item?

Washington D.C. steps back from Internet gambling launch

A number of states are looking at Internet gambling, including Illinois, New York and Hawaii, he said.

[LastLife]

Add Maine

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/01/1...lawmakers-say/

[TBadr]

Any news on Mass? Is it currently being studied? and if so is there an ETA or timeline?
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/57...dered-1153066/

[TheDarkElf]

Originally Posted by PokerXanadu

Washington D.C. steps back from Internet gambling launch

This article only mentions that NY is looking at internet gambling. Like I said before, yes, they would love to sell lottery tickets online (NY's lottery is a real cash cow). But that is a far cry from i-poker.

[permafrost]

Originally Posted by DrewOnTilt

As more states take a peek at legislation, I figure we should have a state development containment thread.


We can add Delaware to the list of states thinking about legislation:

http://www.delawareonline.com/articl...r-?odyssey=nav

Are you wanting to limit thread discussion to internet poker betting? Or is it okay to post about internet betting on lottery, racing, sports betting, casino games, etc.?

[DonkeyQuixote]

Imagine that, States are moving to expressly legalize, license, and derive revenue from online poker, without enabling legislation being passed on the Hill.

Is this trend going to be the subject of testimony on February 9th on the Hill ? If so, what will the PPA say ? Is it going to discuss a "need" or call for federal legislation to "control" this outbreak of movement at the State level ?

[Commodore64c]

Latest news out of Iowa -- According to a Des Moines Register article posted 01/17/2012:

"State Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, said Tuesday he believes a recent U.S. Department of Justice opinion will allow Iowa to enter agreements with other jurisdictions that have approved Internet gambling, including Washington, D.C. and Nevada, and possibly some foreign countries."

"Danielson said he plans to draft a bill soon to legalize Internet poker in Iowa, and he expects it to be considered this session, although he doesn’t have a timetable yet."

[ElrondW]

Unfortunately connecticut seems to be backing away for now. Here is the text of an article from the local paper.

Legalized online gambling looking less likely for Connecticut
Published: Thursday, February 02, 2012

HARTFORD — Despite a recent U.S. Department of Justice opinion that appeared to allow states to roll the dice on Internet gambling, online poker will not be coming to Connecticut any time soon.

State Rep Stephen Dargan, D-West Haven, said in his opening remarks at an informational hearing on the subject held Thursday by the legislature’s Public Safety and Security Committee that no legislation was planned in that committee for the coming legislative session, and that a recent conversation with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy led Dargan to believe no bills would be proposed from the governor’s office.

And according to testimony from Assistant Attorney General Bob Clark, for Internet gaming to come to the state, legislation would be required.

The U.S. Justice Department issued a memo in response to an inquiry late last year from the states of Illinois and New York that was interpreted by many to open the doors for Internet gambling. But Clark testified otherwise.

“All the Justice Department opinion did was to eliminate one layer of uncertainty,” about certain types of online gambling, he said.

The opinion does make it possible for Connecticut to consider online intra-state gambling, so long as it complied with regulations set forth in the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, though making online gambling legal, even solely within the boundaries of this state, would require legislation.

When state Sen. Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Fairfield, an outspoken critic of the proposal to legalize Internet gaming, asked Clark if “we could have online lottery in Connecticut without passing legislation,” Clark replied in the negative.

“Probably not,” he said.

The Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes, which operate the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos, however, would like Internet gaming to come to Connecticut, and told the committee that such an enterprise could be safe, legal and lucrative.

“We are ready to enter this market, whether on an intra-state basis or an interstate basis,” said Chuck Bunnell, a Mohegan tribal representative. Connecticut currently has a binding agreement with the two tribes, providing them exclusive rights to operate slots and table games in the state, with a significant revenue to the government. Though it has diminished somewhat in recent years -- with Bunnell predicting a more precipitous decline as neighboring states open up casinos and slot parlors -- at its peak in 2007, that amount to the state totalled $430 million.

Representatives from both tribes told committee members that should the state seek to allow online gaming run by non-tribal-owned organizations, they would consider that a possible breach of the compact.

“We would vehemently oppose that,” Bunnell said.

In fact, Connecticut residents currently partake in online gaming.

Brooks Pierce, of Sportech, which owns and operates all 15 of the Off Track Betting parlors in the state, said betting on horse races online is not explicitly legal in the state, and his organization does not provide the service because of legal ambiguity his organization has been hoping to clarify. However, that, and an exclusivity agreement between Sportech and the state, do not prevent other, out-of-state organizations from allowing online wagering on horse races.

Anshu Kalhan, director of development for the Foxwoods Development Co., testified that there are currently 855 sites that “will take bets from Connecticut players,” and that he estimated $37 million was spent by state residents on illegal gaming in 2010.

“Online gaming is not a new venture in Connecticut,” Bunnell said. “It’s available today, just illegal and unregulated.”

[TheDarkElf]

Links to (most recent) state legislature i-poker initiative threads:

• California
• District of Columbia
• Iowa
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• Utah
• Washington

I haven't been able to find threads for Florida, Hawaii, Connecticut, Illinois, New Hampshire, Delaware, or Maine.

[WaterFall21]

thanks for this, will be following

[PokerXanadu]

• Florida
• Hawaii

[TheDarkElf]

^^^ Thanks.