Massachusetts prepares for poker

There is good news for online poker fans in Massachusetts as online poker is on the table for debate

Things are looking up for those who enjoy online poker in Massachusetts as their representative, Daniel Winslow, introduces a new amendment to a bill that would see more gambling in the state. The amendment would see the state gaming commission called upon to "establish a committee to analyze and develop recommendations and model legislation" as well as "include an analysis of applicable federal and state law," in a report that would need to be ready by July 2012.

The amendment is a very small, though potentially significant half page addition to a bill that is already 164 pages long. The majority of the bill details very carefully how the state will implement live casino gaming rather than facilitate gaming online. The amendment was probably kept short on purpose so as not to affect the way any of the state representatives are likely to vote. The bill was in fact passed by the House with a massive margin at 123-32 and now has to be ratified by the state senate. The bill is to be discussed by the senate at the end of September.

For internet poker to be legalised in the Massachusetts area all that has to happen now is that the senators pass the bill in full without referring to Winslow’s half page addition. There is still a long way to go before online poker becomes state law. This is particularly because the bill goes through the ‘conference’ phase that ensures the bill passed by the senate is the same as that passed by the House. The governor will still have to agree to the plan as will the legislature ensuring that there is a lengthy process ahead for those who enjoy online poker in the Bay State with pundits expecting that not before 2013 will players be able to take to the virtual felt if at all.
Many fans of the game will take it as a victory that the introduction of online poker is even up for debate. In the past 10 years there have been attempts to introduce legislation for online gaming into other bills that have fallen flat and even discussion of it was considered taboo. The truth of the matter is that regardless of what the state decides the real decision is going to depend on what happens in Washington DC as lawmakers are already debating whether or not to maintain the nationwide ban still in effect.