Pennsylvania's fourth online poker proposal

This is the fourth online poker proposal for the state of Pennsylvania, but the only one in Pennsylvania’s Senate, as the previous three bills are still in the House. The bill, redacted by Senator Sean Wiley is becoming one of the main forces to, finally, set the market in motion. Senator Sean Wiley wants to bring the main issue to the table: illegalize online poker gaming services to Pennsylvania residents next year 2016. Senator Sean Wiley commented: “In the near future, I will be introducing comprehensive legislation to move the commonwealth’s gaming industry forward. Since passage of Act 71 of 2004, the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, the commonwealth’s gaming industry has been an overwhelming success. The addition of table games in 2010 further enhanced the industry. Legalized gaming has resulted in thousands of new jobs and billions in property tax relief and economic development throughout Pennsylvania. My proposal would allow the [Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB)] to authorize online poker only after conducting a study to determine the impact online gaming would have on existing brick and mortar casinos. This would effectively grandfather Pennsylvania in should there be changes to federal law re: online gaming. Under my proposal, online poker would be available for play no sooner than Jan 1, 2017 with regulations, licensure effective no sooner than 7/1/16”.

Pennsylvania, one of the biggest gambling markets in the United States that has nothing to do with the Native American tribal reserves, could be the state that can change the fate of the country, in terms of opening once and for all the online gambling market in the US. The online poker bill will set up high tax revenues as well as high licensing fees, generating more than $100 million in tax revenues every year. The residents of Pennsylvania are in support of this measure, considering that the government should be regulating online gambling services.