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Online Poker: The State of Affairs

August 16, 2013

Many people thought that the 2012 lame duck session of Congress was the best and last chance for the passing of the online poker bill presented by senate majority leader Harry Reid. However, a conflicting opinion has been aired by one member of Congress. This opinion will definitely carry some weight because it is held by Sen. Harry Reid.

There has not been any official word on the matter from Harry Reid’s office. However, reputable industry sources indicate that he is poised to reintroduce his attempt to bring federally regulated online poker into law.

Although speculative, it is said that Reid wishes to place a blanket ban over all forms of online gambling with an exception of poker and grandfathering that is regulated by the state. The federal government will require New Jersey and Nevada to operate a dually-controlled regulatory body for the poker industry.

Industry sources indicate that California would probably have a strong enough force to push for the legislation. Nevada casinos have the fear that California’s bill will lead to a traffic dip. If the federal government is able to make the bill legal before California does, the state will have lost its biggest opportunity for gambling expansion.

Other potential losers include Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, who would find themselves partially shut out of online gambling. Illinois, which was one of the states that requested for clarification on online gambling, would also lose out if the legislation was passed by the federal government.

Written by Bea · Filed Under Poker News 

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