Online poker both on a national and intrastate level received some positive news this week, as it was revealed that Hawaii is going to become the next state to begin to consider looking at options to bring internet card rooms within their borders. Additionally, another hearing towards federal-level regulation for online poker has been granted to be brought to Capitol Hill.
Intrastate Poker in Hawaii
Just like how many other states began reviewing their online poker opportunities after the U.S. Department of Justice’s reversal on their view of the 1961 Interstate Wire Act, Hawaii lawmakers are set to take a look at bills that would allow for both live and online gaming under their supervision. According to the Honolulu Civil Beat, the first of the three bills would look to establish a lottery within Hawaii, with the second bill to add online gaming (including poker) to the mix. The third proposal has nothing to do with a lottery or internet gambling, and instead offers insight towards adding brick and mortar casinos to the area.
Currently, Hawaii and Utah are the only states in the nation that do not offer any form of legalised gambling, with Utah even going as far as to try and sign into law a bill that would completely ban internet gaming in the future.
Capitol Hill Grants new Online Poker Hearing
A bevy of proponents and opponents for online poker will once again descend on Congress come the 9th February to participate in a new hearing that will discuss the future of internet gambling in the country. The main focus this time around will be to review how tribes around the nation will be affected by a resurgence in the online gaming industry. Many tribal gaming leaders have voiced their opinion in the last year that any type of internet gambling bill, be it federal or intrastate, could hamper their rights.
Ernie Stevens, who is the acting chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association, believes that current online gambling proposals “violates the core principals of tribes” in their ability to regulate their own taxation methods and operate as standalone governments. Right now tribal gaming rakes in approximately $25 billion a year, which is why many expect them to be quite possibly the largest entity against internet gaming regulations.
Chris
- Chris Laquinta is a magazine editor, content specialist and poker fanatic with 10+ years writing experience and over 1,500 published articles. Chris is a naitive of Southern California, where he spent his entire life learning gaming concepts and theories from relatives that had been former professional gamblers. He currently resides in Torrance, CA where he works as a professional content writer and part-time SNG professional.
