Fourth Pennsylvania I-Poker Bill Coming ForwardProposal Being Drafted In The Senate: Report |
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Pennsylvania, which is the state most likely to legalize and regulate online poker next, will soon have a fourth bill seeking to do just that, according to GamblingCompliance.
It will be noteworthy because it’s the first proposal of its kind in the state’s Senate this year. The others are in the House.
The legislation reportedly is still in its draft stage, but a memorandum was posted by the bill’s soon-to-be sponsor, Sen. Sean Wiley.
“In the near future, I will be introducing comprehensive legislation to move the commonwealth’s gaming industry forward,” Wiley wrote in his call for co-sponsors. “Since passage of Act 71 of 2004, the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, the commonwealth’s gaming industry has been an overwhelming success. The addition of table games in 2010 further enhanced the industry. Legalized gaming has resulted in thousands of new jobs and billions in property tax relief and economic development throughout Pennsylvania.”
The proposal would bring a number of changes to the state’s gambling industry, which is the second-largest non-tribal gaming market in the nation behind Nevada.
Wiley’s bill would let existing casinos offer online poker, and it would “effectively grandfather Pennsylvania in should there be changes to federal law re: online gaming.”
Right now, there are efforts on Capitol Hill to ban online gaming, but the odds are long.
Wiley’s proposal would make online poker available “no sooner than Jan 1, 2017 with regulations, licensure [and so on] effective no sooner than July 1, 2016.”
He wants a $500,000 online gaming license fee and a tax rate of 36 percent on revenues.
The other online poker bills on the table are from Rep. John Payne, Rep. Tina Davis and Rep. Nick Miccarelli. Davis’ proposal was introduced in April and is the most recent of the group.
There’s also a bill, which is from Rep. Thomas Murt, seeking to ban online poker.
Pennsylvania concluded in a study last year that regulated online poker could be worth up to $129 million annually once it reaches maturation. It also found that house-banked online casino games could reach $178 million annually under the same conditions.
A recent poll found roughly 60 percent of state voters support web poker regulation.
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