Mississippi Online Poker Bill Hits The MuckMeasure Lasted Just Three Weeks In House Committee |
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After just three weeks on the table, an online gaming proposal in Mississippi is now in the muck.
The Mississippi Lawful Internet Gaming Act of 2012 died in committee this past Tuesday.
The measure, which was in response to the recent Department of Justice flip-flop, would have allowed existing gaming licensees to offer Internet wagering.
Before an online site could operate, the Mississippi Gaming Commission would have adopted rules for the industry.
The state, which first legalized gambling in 1990, has about 160 poker tables from its 30 casino licensees.
Caesars Entertainment, Boyd Gaming and MGM Resorts have casino interests in Mississippi. All three entities will likely be involved in Nevada online poker.
With a Mississippi bill on the rail, other states are still pushing for a licensed and regulated intrastate industry.
Iowa has legislation in the works, but nearly 70 percent of its residents are against making the activity permissible. A local lawmaker recently said the plan won’t pass.
Both California and New Jersey have active plans, despite failing in previous years.
Nevada, after a minor blunder in letting the District of Columbia legalize online poker first, sits miles ahead of its competition in seeing the first real-money site. D.C. made the activity legal in 2010, only to repeal the measure under a cloud of controversy and political drama.
With federal legislation falling deeper into the abyss on Capitol Hill, the Silver State is wielding a big stack in the states race.
Regulators have already adopted rules for the intrastate industry, and subsequently some of the biggest Internet poker companies in the world are seeking approval to do business. Last week, Card Player had the exclusive on PartyPoker submitting an application.
Despite the progress, there is still zero indication of when exactly Nevada could have a real-money site.
Follow Brian Pempus on Twitter — @brianpempus
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