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 led to Maine after LD 1164 stalled within the state’s Joint Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee. The same invoice got here up three votes in need of passage within the state home final 12 months.
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 stage.
“In my view, I’m not certain it’s advantageous for me to ask members of this committee today for a hard ‘yes’ or hard ‘no’ for a topic that doesn’t need to have a rushed answer,” he informed the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday. “I would like to ask for an interim study on this bill so we can have further discussion and come to a solid conclusion we feel comfortable with, and that we’re not gonna be rushed through the process here at the end of session.”
The invoice in Maine would have allowed the state’s tribal casinos to companion with on-line gaming operators. The tribes already provide sports activities betting within the state.
The plan known as for taxing on-line gaming income at 16% and tasked the state’s Gambling Control Unit with regulatory duties. The invoice additionally contains provisions proscribing advertising, together with “prohibiting misleading, deceptive or false advertisements.”
However, the state’s two business casinos expressed opposition to the plan, as they might be barred from providing on-line betting.
In Arkansas, the invoice would enable the state’s three licensed casinos to function on-line gaming platforms with the Arkansas Racing Commission regulating the trade. The plan would additionally make it a felony to supply an unregulated on-line gaming platform within the state.
Saracen Casino Resort chief market officer Carlton Saffa pushed for the bill to weed out unregulated on-line gaming operators within the state.
“Unregulated and untaxed casinos are live in Arkansas at great risk to consumers,” Saffa informed the Arkansas Times. “These games are operated by shadowy offshore entities, many with links to China.”
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