Regulated Online Poker Bill Filed In KentuckyPoker Sites Would Pay A Tax Of 6.75% |
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The state of Kentucky will again try to pass legislation to legalize online poker.
Despite falling short over the past several years to legalize online poker and online sports betting, some lawmakers in the Bluegrass State are pushing again.
Gambling expansion, including Las Vegas-style retail casinos, is backed by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. In fact, he campaigned on it.
However, the Republican-controlled legislature hasn’t budged on the issue. There is some Republican support for gambling expansion, but most Republicans are against it.
House Bill 106, filed on Jan. 5, 2023, would establish the regulation of real-online poker sites. Only a handful of states in the U.S. have online poker.
Under the bill, online poker “means any form of poker, including but not limited to Five-Card Draw, Seven-Card Stud, and Texas Hold’em, at locations removed from other players via the internet through the use of computers, smartphones, or other types of electronic devices.”
Furthermore, online poker “shall not include video lottery terminals or slot machines using electronic representations of cards in a game of chance in which skill does not play a part.”
The proposed law wouldn’t allow online casino gambling more broadly.
The legislation defines online poker rake as “a percentage of the total wagers placed in an online poker game that the online poker provider collects as its fee for providing the platform upon which the online poker game is played.”
A license from the state would be required to offer online poker. An initial licensing fee of $250,000 would be charged to online poker sites. In addition to the licensing fee, a gaming tax of 6.75% of net poker revenue would be imposed on each online poker vendor.
The legislation would mandate the use of geolocation software “to ensure that all online poker is conducted within the geographical confines of the state of Kentucky.”
Furthermore, online poker sites would be required to use age verification “to ensure that no person under the age of 18 is allowed to place wagers through online poker games.”
Kentucky is one of the least gambling-friendly states in the U.S. Gambling on horse racing is allowed, along with slot machines at brick-and-mortar locations.
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