A major marketing blitz may soon be underway in Pennsylvania to advance the cause of online poker in the state.
Although all 50 states are allowed to offer their own form of regulated online gambling, only Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware have taken the plunge to date. Nonetheless, many others are weighing the pros and cons as well as factors such as how many new jobs it will create, and how much tax revenue it will generate.
One of the few states already taking a serious looking into implementing regulated online gambling is Pennsylvania. Their progress is so advanced that the Pennsylvania Senate will soon be holding a hearing to introduce a bill that would legalize online poker within the state. The bill will be presented by Senator Edwin Erickson.
An excerpt of the proposed legislation reads as follows: “Ongoing developments in technology and the recent legal developments have created an environment under which the Commonwealth may pursue the legalization of interactive poker as a means further to enhance and complement the benefits delivered by casino gaming and the licensed facilities and the communities in which they operate.”
Obtaining a license to operate as a regulated online poker site costs casinos and gaming operators a pretty penny. They must not only apply and agree to a state’s strict regulations and policies but pay a hefty multi-million dollar licensing fee and agree to pay a 14% gambling tax. These strict regulations and steep licensing fees help to weed out those with improper intentions. If the legislation passes, it will likely be the preexisting Pennsylvania casinos that will initially enter this market.
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