Maryland Governor Opposes Online Poker To Protect State Lottery

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has requested that online poker be removed from the Congress agenda in an effort to protect his state’s lottery system.

O’Malley wrote a letter to Senator Patty Murray (D. Washington) and Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R. Texas), who are co-chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, asking them to find another solution for cutting into the $1.5 trillion federal debt.

“Such proposals would diminish significant sources of revenue for the states when we have already had to endure significant revenue reductions,” said O’Malley. “Historically, states have had the right to make their own decisions about whether to offer gambling and how to regulate the industry. These proposals would strip states of those rights.”

There are currently two bills in Congress calling for the licensing and regulation of online poker and many gaming insiders believe that the tax revenue from a proposed internet gambling market would help reduce the budget deficit.

O’Malley, however, believes that legalized online poker would only hurt his states lottery system, which ranks fourth in the nation and generates $519 million each year.

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