Poker Legislation News
The Washington, D.C. Council passed a bill to legalize sports betting on Tuesday which, if it becomes law, will make the District of Columbia the ninth U.S. jurisdiction to permit the pastime. Nevada, of course, has had sports betting for years, but it wasn’t until this May – when the Supreme Court overturned PASPA –… Read more »
Online poker players, hold on to your butts. According to a report from Online Poker Report, the United States Department of Justice is working on a new opinion of the Interstate Wire Act of 1961, known simply as the Wire Act, that will say that it applies to all forms of online gambling, rather than… Read more »
We are a half-decade into legalized online poker in the United States and just three measly states have launched their internet gaming industries with a fourth – Pennsylvania – close to joining. That’s it. With all the hubbub about sports betting in the last several months, it feels like online poker is on the back… Read more »
The history of tribal gaming in the States of America – where individual Indian tribes own and operate casinos outside of the purveyance of state and/or federal regulations – only dates back to the late 1970s. Those tribes that operate gaming on their reservations are also very protective of their rights to offer gaming and… Read more »
It appears that the legalization of sports betting is something that may be up for discussion in the Tennessee legislature in 2019, as State Representative Rick Staples introduced HB 0001 in the House of Representatives last week, a bill which “authorizes sports betting in this state only in jurisdictions that approve sports betting by local… Read more »
While the States of America recently went through elections – some of which had to do with gaming in the different states – many countries around the world have also taken a different tack with regards to poker. While those in the U. S. may believe that they have the market cornered on “misery” regarding… Read more »
Might as well keep going with the mid-term election news. In Arkansas on Tuesday, voters approved an amendment which would allow casino gambling in the state. Issue 4, as it was called, passed by a margin of 54.07 to 45.93 percent with 87 percent of the state’s precincts reporting. Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot… Read more »
Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, a Sheldon Adelson ally and opponent of online poker, was defeated in his bid to become the next Governor of the Silver State, losing to Democrat Steve Sisolak on Tuesday night. Sisolak received 49.4 percent of the vote to Laxalt’s 45.3 percent. Laxalt is a RAWA Fan Nevada was the… Read more »
Future gambling expansion in Florida may have taken a hit on Tuesday as residents of Florida overwhelmingly passed Amendment 3, 71.44 percent to 28.56 percent. The measure puts decisions about casino gambling in the hands of Florida voters, rather than in the hands of state lawmakers. Sounds Good, But It’s Bad for Poker On its… Read more »
Ever since it took over the Poker Players Alliance, Poker Central has been extremely quiet. The organization was rebranded at the time of the takeover, with Poker Central renaming the group the Poker Alliance, but it didn’t exactly jump back into the fray regarding poker, gaming or…anything, to be honest. Now the new Poker Alliance… Read more »
Adam Laxalt is the Attorney General of Nevada. He is currently running for Governor on the Republican side of the ballot. He is also, somewhat oddly considering the state he wishes to lead, against online poker. He is also getting very little support from his family, as is evidenced by a recent op-ed penned by… Read more »
The Arkansas Supreme Court dismissed a pair of lawsuits last week, clearing the way for a referendum on gambling expansion to appear on the state’s November ballot. The measure, listed as Issue 4, would amend the Arkansas Constitution to allow for four casino gaming licenses. Ballotpedia details the four licenses as follows: • To Southland… Read more »
It is often said that “politics makes for strange bedfellows.” That adage is being proven in Florida, where a referendum on the ballot come the midterm elections has brought together an odd tandem who are looking for the same outcome. Brought Together for the Same Goal The Orlando Sentinel’s Scott Maxwell reported recently on how… Read more »
Oh wonderful. Look who’s back. On Monday, Jon Kyl, one of the men responsible for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), was named by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey as replacement for the late John McCain in the Senate. There isn’t anything going on in the Senate when it comes to online poker,… Read more »
Pennsylvania finally legalized online poker last fall and now the industry is finally, slowly starting to ramp up. The first deadline for casinos to apply for interactive gaming licenses was early last week and though for a while it looked like very few or even none of them would file petitions, in the end, nine… Read more »
The good news: Kentucky state Senators are trying to legalize sports betting in the state next year. The bad news: the taxes they propose will kill the industry before it starts. Senator Julian Carroll (D – Dist. 7) pre-filed BR 29, essentially getting it all set to go so that he can quickly introduce it… Read more »
Last week, Sander Dekker, Minister for Legal Protection of the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security posted a statement outlining his Ministry’s plans for changes to the Netherlands’ Remote Gambling Act in an effort to open up the country for online gambling while at the same time offering protections to players. Not that long ago,… Read more »
Last fall, the Oregon Lottery terminated its contract with Portland Meadows, revoking the racetrack’s license to house ten video lottery terminals because the venue has engaged in what the Oregon Lottery considers illegal gambling. Portland Meadows appealed the decision, but recently, the Lottery responded, denying the appeal and confirming its own ruling from last year.… Read more »
While they were expected to be the first “newcomer” to the sports betting world after court decisions, New Jersey instead became the second (after Delaware) with their actions on Thursday. The Garden State became the third state to officially open their borders for sports betting bright and early on a sunny Thursday on both ends… Read more »
From the “good news / bad news” file, residents of Switzerland have voted in favor of a referendum that will legalize online gambling, buuuuttt…only Switzerland’s brick-and-mortar casinos will be able to offer online gaming. The law, which has already been passed by both houses of parliament, will go into effect at the beginning of next… Read more »
So this week has been an exciting one in the gambling world, hasn’t it? The United States Supreme Court deemed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) unconstitutional, making it permissible for states to legalize and regulate sports betting. A handful of states, including the state we have to thank for this… Read more »
It was a day that everyone assume was coming, but until this morning, there was always going to be at least some doubt. In a 6-3 decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state of New Jersey and against the NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, and NCAA, striking down the Professional and… Read more »
After failing to gather enough votes for passage earlier this week, a Michigan lawmaker has reset his sights regarding his bill for online gaming. That reset goal? Right before the Michigan legislative body takes its summer break from Ann Arbor in June. Michigan Representative Brandt Iden introduced his bill, called House Bill 4926, late in… Read more »
You know that feeling when you are around a person and you think to yourself, “Why won’t they just go away already?” Well, I’ve never been around him, but I’ve had that feeling about Rep. Charlie Dent (R – Penn.) for a while now. And guess what? He’s actually about to go away! Last fall,… Read more »
After making a plea to its membership base for donations to continue their efforts, the future of the Poker Players Alliance is in doubt as those pleas apparently went unheard. In what has been a tumultuous few months for the Poker Players Alliance, the organization issued the call for donations as its leadership changed. In… Read more »
