Pennsylvania could see online poker in 2017

The study released on September 10th by the investment firm Morgan Stanley Research has stunned the gambling industry in the United States. The researches were mainly focused on the poker bill that could be approved by 2016 but only if the US administration gets to any consent. Among the main US states such as California, New York and Illinois, Pennsylvania is most likely the only one state that could get the online poker bill ready earlier than no one else. Pennsylvania, the Keystone state, has an excellent betting industry that has been always overshadowed by the Garden State, New Jersey, one of the main gambling states in America. That is one of the main reasons why PA has ever had one of the best frames to embed an online poker bill that could develop the online betting industry, once and for all. According to Morgan Stanley Research’s studies, once the online poker bill is approved in 2016 (just a prediction), PA’s online poker market could go from $58 million, in the first year, to nearly $400 million in the fourth year. But online gambling GGR forecast is assuming that, two years after the online poker market opened its doors, it is of common sense that congress would have to pass a global online betting legislation, including all kind of gambling operations such as casino, sports bets, bingo, etc. Online betting backers are pushing the envelope to get proposal to state government as this would be a one of a lifetime’s opportunity for the state of Pennsylvania to legislate and tax online betting. But the online betting industry’s detractors are more powerful in the state of Pennsylvania. Sheldon Adelson, one of the main casino moguls in the United States, still needs to put another fight against the online betting industry as his approach in business is based on monopoly’s policies, banning the online industry from tip to toe. Sheldon Adelson is the CEO of the company that owns the casino resort Bethlehem Sands, one of the most lucrative money-making casinos in the state of Pennsylvania.

But Pennsylvania’s economy is on the line as the state-commissioned studies showed us last March. The state is going through budget’s cuts and there is no main resource that can boost up the revenue’s figures for the Keystone state; John Pappas, Poker Players Alliance’s executive director, has been one of the main supporters for online poker legalization. He has said in many occasions that Pennsylvania’s online poker bill could be taking off next year 2015: “I don't think there is any chance of a bill this year, but, yes, 2015 is a good probability. It takes a couple legislative cycles, at a minimum, to get something done. I fully expect more bills to be introduced in 2015, along with hearings and even votes”.