The slim hopes of legalizing on-line poker and different on line casino video games in two states are formally over.
Legislative efforts to legalize on-line gaming seem to have resulted in Maine after LD 1164 stalled within the state’s Joint Veterans and Authorized Affairs Committee. An analogous invoice got here up three votes wanting passage within the state home final yr.
Efforts to legalize on-line gaming in Arkansas now seem lifeless after the invoice’s sponsor, Rep. Matt Duffield, pulled HB 1861= earlier than it may even be heard on the committee degree.
“In my opinion, I’m not sure it’s advantageous for me to ask members of this committee right this moment for a tough ‘sure’ or onerous ‘no’ for a subject that doesn’t must have a rushed reply,” he informed the Home Judiciary Committee on Thursday. “I wish to ask for an interim research on this invoice so we will have additional dialogue and are available to a stable conclusion we really feel comfy with, and that we’re not gonna be rushed by way of the method right here on the finish of session.”
The invoice in Maine would have allowed the state’s tribal casinos to associate with on-line gaming operators. The tribes already supply sports activities betting within the state.
The plan known as for taxing on-line gaming income at 16% and tasked the state’s Playing Management Unit with regulatory duties. The invoice additionally consists of provisions limiting advertising, together with “prohibiting deceptive, misleading or false ads.”
Nonetheless, the state’s two industrial casinos expressed opposition to the plan, as they might be barred from providing on-line betting.
In Arkansas, the invoice would permit the state’s three licensed casinos to function on-line gaming platforms with the Arkansas Racing Fee regulating the trade. The plan would additionally make it a felony to supply an unregulated on-line gaming platform within the state.
Saracen On line casino Resort chief market officer Carlton Saffa pushed for the invoice to weed out unregulated on-line gaming operators within the state.
“Unregulated and untaxed casinos are dwell in Arkansas at nice threat to shoppers,” Saffa informed the Arkansas Occasions. “These video games are operated by shadowy offshore entities, many with hyperlinks to China.”
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