The casinos are HUGE lobbyists in Missouri. If they want it then they'll get it. Nixon is definitely anti gambling but even if he opts out(unlikely IMO since he's a democrat and is going to be up for reelection) I think the state legislator can override him.

hopefully TO is still busy trying to find us a ****in offense.

Also in Hampton Roads, Virginia
Living ten minutes from Pat Robert's Christian Conservative home base also gives me the gut feeling that Virginia will opt out.

However, I don't think it's a slam dunk. We have ongoing legislation trying to get the Portsmouth poker halls re-opened (that I have heard optimism about but geeze this is taking forever). We voted Democrat for the first time in how many presidential campaigns? We have a horse track, the lottery, off track betting, and some of those sweepstakes Internet shops. I for one will be writing my letters and doing what I can if / when the time comes. We have allot of poker players here.

I have tons of family in South Carolina...now that's a slam dunk. I would like to think Virginia is far from that (albeit still a likely opt out).

Virginia: Likely opt-out, but we aren't as bad as South Carolina
OK a little more serious
Virginia: Likely opt-out with some hope

x100

So what are you're predictions for NC? I think if it were up to Bev Perdue then we'd opt-in since her number one concern is increasing revenue and jobs. Given the social conservatism in our state though, I can't imagine the state legislature will allow the opt-in.

I mean, we're desperate for $$, but our state legislature is currently trying to amend our state constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage and make women wait 24 hrs. before an abortion for "proper counseling." So yeah, I'm torn. We do have a lottery and there has been an ongoing debate wrt video poker in our state. I also would imagine that the Indian reservation casinos would want to be on board so they can run their own site, but idk. We're so socially conservative/backward that I'm torn.

South Carolina: Opt Out 100% IMO

West Virginia: No action, aka opt in. 100% IMO

We, as citizens of california already voted on a proposition wrt weed. It failed. This state is an absolute joke. Buncha fools with their hands out, while others wring theirs abbout all thats wrong with the world.

wouldn't this be a good thing for us

It would be if he was consistent in his views, but he's not.

Circa 2003, he was all for Video Lottery Terminals at race tracks, now he says he'll veto ANY poker/gambling expansion bills. Even though members of the House/Senate know that they have the votes to pass the legislation, they don't think they have the votes to override a veto, so they understandably don't want to waste their time.

Do we have a list of states thru which their own state policies would allow the Governor, and or the state/legislatures to opt out on their own without a referendum?
IMO, this would be critical for our collective lobby push in those states.

a lot of the speculation earlier in the thread was based on states considering general gambling bills. with the barton bill being for poker only and offering language that calls it a game of skill will that help "soften" it enough to move forward in some of the perceived "opt out" states?

i'm in TX and agree with previous posters expected prediction on governor Perry's stance. in the brain that resides below his helmet of beautifully quaffed hair there will be no distinction between poker and gambling. although i'd bet he himself is a home game poker player.

Let's get this thing back on the front page. From another thread, we have more pessimism about VA: Plenty of negativity here about Virginia, but not much if anything has been said about Maryland and Washington DC (which is trying to make its tiny DC-only gambling offerings work, would they opt out of federal in an effort to protect their tiny not-just-poker monopoly?). For someone moving to the DC area who can live in any of these three states, would one have substantially better chances of being able to eventually play online poker by living in Maryland or DC rather than Virginia? Speculate away.

If an "opt-out" bill passes, what happens in states where poker is currently illegal (e.g. NY)? Would they still need to opt-out to be excluded even though poker is illegal under current state law?

PS - I am not interested in any arguments on the actual legal status of poker under NYS law ... we've already seen that argued ad nauseum. TYTY

What do people think about MA now that a casino bill was passed? Does the fact that Ceasars made an agreement with suffolks down have an effect as well?

I still have hope that Virginia would Opt In, we have Off Track Betting on the Pennisula and on the south side... We have Colonial Downs, and you can play lotto and scratch at almost any corner store... If North Carolina would Opt In i dont see how Va. would Opt out... We had Lotto way before they did... The Poker Palace case in Portsmouth didnt go so well, but i believe it brought some well deserved positive publicity for poker in the area.

Wow. I can't believe this thread is 16 months old.

Forget about MD. We cannot even join WPT Club here. I have given up all hope for legal online, even if it gets passed nationwide. If it happens I will be happy as hell, but it is unlikely that MD will ever opt in.

With good news coming out from DOJ, this still leaves issues for the bad list states. I am bit new to this forum, my apologies for double post if this has been stated before. I'm an IL resident and this is what concerns me most. Do we have form letters I can send to my Representative to start the ball rolling to change my state's law? Or this futile?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

how about illinois? thanks in advance

Illinois

About a year ago, I spoke with the then-General Counsel of the Illinois Lottery. The Lottery was interested, at that point, in both getting DOJ to sign off on offering lottery tickets online AND in expanding into online poker.

The former, the DOJ signing off on online lottery sales, was provided in September. Last week, DOJ extended its reasoning to cover online poker.

In light of an expressed interest, a year ago, in expanding its "games" to include online poker, the Lottery MAY be interested in moving forward in Illinois.

DQ

Living in Indiana my opinion is mixed. We do have multiple cardrooms and casinos/racetracks that offer poker as well as a charity poker room set of laws in place. That said a lot of our politics seem to be based around whatever sense of morality politicians can force on the voters to seem like the good guy that will lead our state in a just and righteous way (as with any somewhat conservative state).

My optimism says that with poker already accepted in many ways that it will be an opt-in but I really think it's too close to call and whenever I email any representative or the governor they always tell me it's someone elses issue, getting me nowhere. I have seen Gov. Mitch Daniels at the grocery store near my house a couple times, maybe I'll ask him in person if I am ever right next to him.

About six months ago, I wrote the above and now I'd say I'm pretty sure Kansas would be opt-out. State owned casinos are opening up and the state is going to crack down on anything they see as competition.

That plus the 2010 social con state legislatures is why there will still be 45+ opt-outs unless someone with some cunning crafts the opt-in/opt-out process.

Here is my list of opt-outs and opt ins that would happen:

South Dakota: Opt IN (Don't know who is getting their sources of SD opting out) But they(deadwood casinos and the Indian rez) Want to opt in to bring in more players and a couple tnys to the Deadwood Area. (Note: Deadwood and the Indian rez has a lot of pull from everything I have heard see no reason for this not to happen) Deadwood wants to find ways to advertise and one of the Poker employees has stated ipoker would be an opportunity for them.

MN: Opt out at this time. (This really will be upto if Sen. Frakken can has his mind changed.) Basically Sen. Frakken has stated "It sounds like a good way for someone to lose their house while in their house."

Monatana: Opt-IN. Easily seen.

Washington: Opt-Out at this time cause gov has interests with the local native tribes and they are against ipoker.

CA: Really could go either way so it is hard to say.

Other states I am not qualified or do not have enough information on at this time.