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Pennsylvania Moves Toward Online Poker

February 11, 2013

Pennsylvania is currently the second state with the biggest lucrative gaming market in the United States, but could get even bigger still if a recent bill to legalize online poker and other potential online casino games is passed into law.

The Pennsylvania gaming operators are expected to oversee the online gaming industry under Representative Tine Davis. According to this bill, the online gaming license would cost casino operators $16.7 million, and a reasonable tax rate will also be imposed. All license fees and taxes collected will go to State Lottery Fund and Property Tax Relief Fund.

Rep. Davis says, “Considering the nationwide efforts to legalize Internet gaming, it is imperative that we maintain the integrity of our gaming industry amid inevitable federal preemption and competing states, as well as possible expansion of Internet games through the privatization of our own State Lottery.”

The need to regulate and establishment of a reliable Internet gaming system to protect Pennsylvanians from online casinos exploitation is important to lawmakers, so the revenue and taxes is just icing on the cake. Another perk is potential jobs creation for Pennsylvanians.

After Pennsylvania casinos stole much of the business from neighboring New Jersey’s Atlantic City, the move forward for Pennsylvania online poker may or may not encourage New Jersey governor Chris Christie to take the plunge into online poker as well.

Other states considering legalizing online poker and other potential online gaming include Iowa Mississippi, and California. Delaware and Nevada, however, have already legalized online gambling. 2013 is the year that many states are anticipated to take massive steps towards legalizing online gaming as a reaction to the federal government’s failure to act in 2012.

Written by Johnny · Filed Under Poker News 

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