Could states opt-in to online poker?

[highland]

At least one major argument from the pro-UIGEA people was that they wanted to leave it up to individual states to decide how they want to treat gambling. Well, maybe it wasn't their main argument, but it was the only one that made any sense to me.

So, could individual states pass legislation to regulate online poker across state and national boundaries? I'm sure every site would be happy to give a small % of MGR to the referring state. Seems like Nevada would be the logical state to spearhead such an effort.

Even if there's text in UIGEA or wager-wire that prohibits this, the legal/political battle usually ends up going with public opinion, right?

cheers,
-highland

.ps yes, i did search for this topic, but couldn't find it.

[Quanah Parker]

Apparently, North Dakota is spearheading the development.
Go figure.

I just came across the news on the Wiki page for online poker.
I'm sure it's old news to many, but I imagine they're plenty of players like myself who only recently starting playing:

"In the United States, the North Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill in February 2005 to legalize and regulate online poker and online poker cardroom operators in the state. The legislation required that online poker operations would have to physically locate their entire operations in the state. Testifying before the state Senate Judiciary committee, Nigel Payne, CEO of Sportingbet, the owner of Paradise Poker, pledged to relocate to the state if the bill became law.[4]

The measure, however, was defeated by the State Senate in March 2005 after the U. S. Department of Justice sent a letter to North Dakota attorney general Wayne Stenehjem stating that online gaming "may" be illegal, and that the pending legislation "might" violate the federal Wire Act. However, many legal experts dispute the DOJ's claim.

North Dakota Rep. Jim Kasper (R-Fargo), the author of the legalization bill, has vowed to continue his efforts, stating that he is "not putting away the idea of getting into Internet gaming licenses in North Dakota" and that the "revenue we missed is too great to pass up." Kasper has also stated that he will introduce the legislation in the 2007 session of the North Dakota legislature."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Poker

[MiltonFriedman]

Here goes:

1. A State can clearly establish a poker site for residents and visitors to its State, subject only to geographic and age limits. The Act refers to intraState online sites.

2. There is nothing to prevent a State of California or North Dakota Site from sending its State players into an aggregated pool with other States. (Think of Powerball).

3. So, although a State cannot regulate (law) across State lines or allow non-geolocated players access to its site, it can join other sites .... provided each meets the UIGEA criteria of geo-limits and age verification.

4. You can bet that a State would like a 40% cut or so of all the online rake from its residents, to fund schools or whatever.

[highland]

[ QUOTE ]
Here goes:

2. There is nothing to prevent a State of California or North Dakota Site from sending its State players into an aggregated pool with other States. (Think of Powerball).


[/ QUOTE ]

powerball's a lottery though, and specifically exempted, right?

[ QUOTE ]

3. So, although a State cannot regulate (law) across State lines or allow non-geolocated players access to its site, it can join other sites .... provided each meets the UIGEA criteria of geo-limits and age verification.


[/ QUOTE ]

what about across national borders?

[ QUOTE ]

4. You can bet that a State would like a 40% cut or so of all the online rake from its residents, to fund schools or whatever.

[/ QUOTE ]

let's just hope if this does pass, they don't do something idiotic like demand 40% of each pot [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].


Not good to hear from wikipedia that the DOJ stymied North Dakota's efforts at this. Maybe with the new political makeup in DC some state will try again.

thanks,
-highland