A quick summary of progress of online poker bills in New York and Kentucky, and an online casino bill in West Virginia.
Providing updates on the progress of online poker in the United States of America makes me want to put myself up for adoption. Sometimes, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, so with likely close to zero chance of any more states giving online poker the green light in the foreseeable future, here goes.
We begin in New York, and Flushdraw’s Haley Hintze has pointed out that New York State Assembly member, Gary Pretlow, has tabled a new online poker bill (A4924). Using the word ‘new’ is overreaching after Hintze mentions that it’s the same bill that failed to make traction the last time Pretlow submitted it.
The New York Committee on Racing and Wagering has given the bill the thumbs up, but Pretlow is the chairman of that committee. The modus operandi is the same with Pretlow’s paperwork trying to prove to the sceptics that Justin Bonomo needed more than luck to win $44m playing poker.
Other details include a $10m fee to secure a 10-year license, 15% tax on gross revenue, the ability to forge partnerships with experienced online poker operators, and no bad actor clause. Revenue from online poker would go into the coffers of the New York State Lottery Fund.
Kentucky
From Haley Hintze at Flushdraw to Brian Pempus at USBets, and the news that Republican Adam Koenig submitted House Bill 175 on Tuesday. According to Pempus, 14 other Kentucky lawmakers are backing Koenig’s bill.
“It’s time to provide the freedom for those who wish to engage in these activities to do so legally. Let’s get ahead of the curve.” Said Koenig.
The new bill paves the way for online poker, fantasy sports and sports betting. There is wording that will allow mobile betting, and the online poker tax rate is 6.75% on net profits.
The Kentucky lottery will take care of things should the bill get the green light. There are no land-based casinos in Kentucky, and there are no proposals to change that in the new bill.
4.4m people call Kentucky home, more than Delaware and Nevada, yet significantly less than New Jersey and Pennsylvania, so it’s unusual that there is no wording around the creation of interstate compacts.
Sports betting regulations would fall under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, and a sports betting license would set you back $1 million. There will be a 10.25% tax bill for retail sports wagering and a 14.25% tax on any revenue taken over the Internet.
West Virginia
Finally, Eric Ramsey has reported that West Virginia is looking into the creation of online casino regulation. Writing for Online Poker Report, the veteran, Ramsey, advises that Democrat Jason Barrett is pushing the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act (H 2934).
11-months ago, West Virginia lawmakers approved a bill to introduce sports betting into the Mountain State, so as Ian Drury and the Blockheads used to remind us there are ‘reasons to be cheerful.’
The plan is to introduce online casinos through licensing of the five land-based casinos that currently exist in the state. The lottery commission would manage the shebang. A five-year license will set you back $250,000 with tax rates at a reasonable 10%.
There is no bad actor clause, but there is also no mention if online poker in the 29-page document you can read right here.
