Home / Poker News February 2013 / The Poker Grapevine - Mississippi Poker Bill Runs Ashore
The Poker Grapevine - Mississippi Poker Bill Runs Ashore
Posted by: James Carter. - Mon, 2013-02-11 05:12
Earlier this week, news broke of the success of an amended online poker and gambling bill submitted by the state legislature, which has gained a conditional veto from Gov. Chris Christie in New Jersey, thus essentially securing recognition and a post-amendment approval in March. The news regarding the legal struggles of online poker hasn’t been all favorable this week though. The State of Mississippi has also been mulling the introduction of an
online poker bill that would legalize and regulate the game within the State limits for some time now, thus far however, lawmakers have failed to come up with a version that would appease all parties concerned. An online poker bill ran ashore about a year ago, and it was followed down the drain by Rep Bobby Moke’s Mississippi Lawful Internet Gaming Act of 2013 the other day. The bill died in the Ways and Means Committee, so one can't even say that it came anywhere close to becoming reality.
The bill proposed that revenues generated from Internet gambling and real money poker be taxed at a rate of 5%. It also stipulated that only businesses already offering land-based poker and gambling services would receive licenses required to legally operate online poker and gambling in the state.
Moak’s legal initiative had the support of the major land-based casino operators, however it ran headfirst into the staunch opposition of the church to any sort of expansion of real money gambling, rooted in religious reasons.
While states like Mississippi are still struggling to come to terms with the legal implications of the Department of Justice’s decision regarding the 1961 Wire Act and all forms of Internet gambling other than sports betting, Nevada lawmakers are already preparing to test technology managed to power the online poker sites slated to be launched later this year.
