Wed, 03/30/2011 – 01:26 – PokerPages Staff

The first owner of a Las Vegas casino to publicly support legalizing Internet poker has spoken out. South Point Hotel and Casino owner Michael Gaughan has recently expressed his view that online games and poker are definitely coming and he has no doubt in his mind about that.

He was speaking as Nevada Assemblyman William Horne’s Assembly Bill 258 is up for consideration by the state legislature. The bill would allow online gaming to be licensed and regulated by the Nevada Gaming Association and is regarded as the most poker-friendly bill to be proposed in the U.S. 

Although supported by the giant online poker site PokerStars, it is opposed by another gambling behemoth – Caesars Entertainment. When Caesars declared its opposition, hopes for the bill’s survival began to fade and most observers assumed that other bricks-and-mortar casinos would simply follow suit. Until, that is, Mr. Gaughan spoke out and he’s made it pretty clear exactly why he supports the bill. AB 258 would, he said, “make us a pioneer in the nationwide movement.” By passing the bill into law, Nevada would become a leader the rest of the country may wish to emulate.

Financially, legalization makes a lot of good sense especially given that Nevada’s finances are the stuff of nightmares and nervous breakdowns.  There is a yawning $1 billion-plus deficit to be made good and unemployment in the state currently runs at 13.5 per cent. In one move, the legalization of online poker would generate an additional $500 million for the state budget and bring many desperately needed new job opportunities in its wake.

So far, bills that have been discussed at either state or federal level have contained wording that many poker enthusiasts find unnecessarily frustrating, desperate though they are to legitimize their game. Senator Harry Reid’s bill, which fell after the mid-term elections last year, included a punitive 15-month blackout period, during which no one living on American home soil could play online. Congress is currently considering a licensing bill proposed by Representative John Campbell, but it contains wording to imply that current operators are guilty of illegal gambling activity. These inclusions appear to be aimed at appeasing opponents but would have serious consequences should they succeed in becoming law.

By contrast, Nevada’s AB 258 specifically states that it will not discriminate against existing operators (possibly one major reason why PokerStars is supporting it so fulsomely). The measure would also allow the Nevada Gaming Association to enter into agreements with other jurisdictions, such as foreign countries, where online gaming is not illegal. Additionally the Nevada Bill makes provision that should other states pass bills legalizing online poker, they would be included too. Such a development would place Nevada, as Mr. Gaughan envisages, at the very heart of the online gaming industry in addition to its central place in the bricks-and-mortar casino business.

Commenting on PokerStars’ and Full Tilt Poker’s inclusion in the Nevada system under the bill, Gaughan said that he didn’t mind at all stating that no one group of people should be eliminated. Gaughan considers the bill a good move for the state, and believes it will benefit smaller casinos there. Caesars has got some opposition to its “Federal only” approach at last, it seems.

Tue, 03/01/2011 – 00:39 – PokerPages Staff

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie may not make a decision on the bill which could legalize online poker in the state until March 3.

It was previously thought that Christie would decide on the outcome of the legislation by February 24 as that would mark 45 days since the legislation passed the State Assembly.

Christie has four options available to him regarding the bill. He can veto it, sign it, veto it conditionally or let the time elapse which would result in legislation becoming law on March 4.

Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association Chairman, Joe Brennan Jr, provided an update on the situation late last week.

“I have heard people say they heard the governor is going to veto the bill. Our people are as close to the governor as anybody and they don’t know what he’s going to do because the governor hasn’t indicated to any party of this what he’s going to do.”

Brennan dismissed a report in the New York Post which suggested Christie would not sign the bill due to intense lobbying from the opposition to the measure.

He also confirmed that the bill could generate up to $7 billion in revenue on an annual basis and 57,000 jobs. Those figures would provide a timely boost to the Atlantic City economy.