American states may opt out of gambling reform laws
Posted by Bev Freeman on 14 Aug 2009 at 13:08
Some of America's biggest states could opt out of planned laws legalising online gambling, one expert has said.
Jim Tabilio, gambling business adviser and founder of the Poker Voters of American lobby group, has said the likes of California, New York and Texas may be forced to use 90-day opt out clauses written into the legislation as their governments will stop them from reviewing the regulation to achieve a consensus in time.
He warned that this could rule the states out of laws being proposed by the likes of Barney Frank and Roberto Menendez.
The text of the changes put down by both officials contains a 90-day limit on using the clause. Mr Menendez has drawn up the Internet Poker and Games of Skill Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act.
Barney Frank has drawn up the Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection and environment act, which would overturn America's current ban on internet gambling.
Quoted by E Gaming News, Mr Tabilio said: "The politicians and regulators I’ve spoken to think 90 days is too short a period to make that decision. If at all unsure, they will say ‘no’ in order to take a longer look. A lot of state legislators are not full time, meaning that not many states could make the decision within 90 days and governors will then automatically opt out."
If his analysis is correct then a question mark hangs over the possibility of to creating a single US online gambling market.
Instead states could opt for their own gambling regimes, with California already proposing to legalise online poker to generate tax revenue.
