Massachusetts Get In On The Action And Is Pursuing Online Poker Bill

A recently announced sponsored attachment to the budget for

has set Massachusetts into getting in on the online poker action. The report comes from Sunshine Poker, who have said that an attachment to the budget will allow for legislation for internet poker regulation and legalization in Massachusetts.

Eighteen members from the House of Representatives in the State of Massachusetts will be sponsoring the bill, which gives the bill a footing. The new propsals will include the term ‘internet card rooms’ as part of the revenue sections to the bricks and mortar casinos in the budget. This bill should open the way to allow online poker gaming option in Massachusetts.

This is a new area for the State of Massachusetts, for online gaming options, however it has been very slow going. Government officials appear to be gung-ho and are going from the land based casinos onto the inline casino options. The state legalized bricks and mortar casinos and this option will not be available before

. In the

fiscal year, bidders will be determined for gambling options and the licensing fees will have to be paid.

State will earn revenues if he bill is passed

The bill sponsors have said that if the legalization and regulation for online poker was in place, then the state would be in a position to earn tens of millions of dollars in revenues. It is also believed by the sponsors that these new options could generate employment opportunities, an enhanced lottery systes, programs for gamblers who have problems and other benefits.

The sponsors also feel that residents were already playing online gaming at offshore companies, and that the state should be earning their fair share instead. With this new proposal, operators of online poker or providers of online gaming software, will need to get a Category 3 license, three licenses will be available that will be valid for 10 years. Renewable options will be up for discussion 5 months before expiry and before being renewed.

It would seem that the state will be able to begin preparing for online poker before the bricks and mortar casinos have things up and running, with this new proposal. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out, how Massachusetts fits it all in compared to how other states do with the same process.