Great news. Following yesterday's PA Senate passage of the online poker bill, the PA House just voted 109-72 in favor! It's now onto Gov. Wolf, who is expected to sign signed the bill into law.

PPA's press release:


Washington, DC (October 26, 2017) – The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the leading poker grassroots advocacy group with 1.2 million members nationwide and more than 25,000 in Pennsylvania, today cheers a major victory for consumers in Pennsylvania with the passage of legislation to license and regulate internet poker and other forms of online gaming in the state.

“Pennsylvania made the right decision today,” said John Pappas, executive director of PPA. "This is a major victory for consumers who, for years, have asked the state to step up and provide meaningful protections. The iGaming law will also help create new growth opportunities for the Commonwealth’s bricks and mortar casinos while providing needed revenue for the state budget,” continued Pappas.

In 2013, New Jersey passed comprehensive iGaming legislation similar to the bill that passed today in Pennsylvania. “The experience in New Jersey has been nothing short of exceptional. iGaming is responsibly operated by licensed casinos and the technologies they deploy ensure adherence to strict regulatory standards. Moreover, the industry is growing and so are tax revenues. Pennsylvania is now in the driver seat to do even better,” Pappas said.

One notable difference is the effective tax rate for online slots. New Jersey’s effective rate is 17 percent across the board for all iGaming while the Pennsylvania law imposes a whopping 54 percent tax on internet slots! Pennsylvania will tax internet poker and other internet table games at a reasonable 16 percent. “The extraordinary high tax rate for internet slots may impact how many casinos are willing to offer that specific product. Ultimately, that rate needs to come down so Pennsylvania can reach iGaming’s full revenue potential,” Pappas added.

PPA has been at the forefront of supporting licensed and regulated online poker in the Commonwealth throughout this process. PPA members reached out to lawmakers thousands of times via the media, social media, direct emails and phone calls, urging them to pass online poker legislation with strong consumer protections. Check PPA’s PA Infographic to learn how everyday citizens helped turn this bill into law.

About The Poker Players Alliance
The Poker Players Alliance (www.theppa.org; http://twitter.com/ppapoker, www.facebook.com/theppa) is a nonprofit membership organization comprised of over 1,000,000 online and offline poker players and enthusiasts from around the United States who have joined together to speak with one voice to promote the game and to protect poker players' rights.

Will they be joining up with the other states?

I hope so, but no indication yet.

Timeline going forward?

I've always heard it would take about 6 months to be up and running. I think they plan to copy a lot of NJ's regulations so maybe that saves them some time. Obviously Rich would have a better idea, but I'd like to think between April and Memorial Day 2018.

I'd take the over, but I hope you are right. Hope we get a time frame soon.

A few years ago, I made a bet that NY would pass an online poker bill before PA. Well, I must say this is one bet I do not feel bad about losing to. Congratulations to PA, their residents. PPA, and anyone and everyone else who got the state over the finish line.

Now being from NY, I continue to send out emails to my state lawmakers pushing for something to pass here. Having said that, if I had to bet once again when NY passes anything, it will still be a few years from now unfortunately b/c 2 brick and mortar new casinos are expected to go up in upstate NY in the 2018 year and they along with their govt bought cronies prolly want to see how business goes with their openings before passing any online gaming bill. Here is to hoping I lose this bet too and a bill somehow passes in the 2018 year.

Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf just signed the bill: http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...=.b36c8858f0d0