Browse > Home / Poker News / PPA for State-Level Online Poker Legislature

PPA for State-Level Online Poker Legislature

January 15, 2013

Many people in the online poker community were disappointed when an bill that would legalize and regulate online poker was not passed during the lame duck session of Congress. After 2012 did not see a federal online poker bill passed, the grass roots organization for legal and regulated online poker, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) is now shifting their focus to the state level. Nevada has had success passing an intrastate online poker bill and has in fact already passed out licenses to many online poker brands hoping to open up shop to Nevada residents.

Delaware has also passed intrastate online poker legislature, and other states that are expected to pass similar laws include Iowa, and New Jersey. Others will hopefully follow.

Executive director of the PPA John Pappas says he doesn’t anticipate leaving his headquarters in Washington DC, but has explains that “the fight for Internet poker is moving to the states.” He was also quoted to say, “We will be largely focusing our efforts on passing player friendly bills in the states.”

After the DoJ re-interpreted the Wire Act of ’61 that excluded online poker and online casino from the law, leaving it to only apply to online sportsbetting, states started “sending strong signals that they intend to push for Internet poker legalization,” says Pappas.

Senators Harry Reid and Jon Kyl did push strongly for online poker legislation that would regulate and legalize Internet poker, but it just didn’t work out.

Pappas says, “It has become clear that last year’s dysfunctional Congress was a huge obstacle in our mission to secure safe and regulated Internet poker. Sadly, the prospects of the partisan Congress working together in 2013 do not look promising.”

Written by Marcus · Filed Under Poker News 

Comments

Comments are closed.