A bill which could eventually lead to online poker being legalised and regulated by the US state of Iowa passed through a Senate Committee yesterday evening.
The Senate State Government Committee voted 11-4 to pass Senate Study Bill 3164, which proposes a structure under which competing poker “hub” providers would partner with local casinos to offer online sites for residents of Iowa aged 21 and over.
The legislation, if subsequently passed as it stands by the Iowa Senate and House, would also eventually allow online poker to be offered interstate - subject to federal regulation or enabling laws in other US states - and internationally.
Proponents welcomed news of the bill’s passage, arguing it would allow the state to capture revenues from the estimated US$100m annual spend of Iowans on playing online poker on non-US regulated offshore websites.
“We have a situation in Iowa where Iowa citizens are not being protected. This will do that,” Senator Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock was quoted as saying by the Eastern Iowa Government newspaper. He said bringing the activity under Iowa state regulation would halt offshore operations from “preying on Iowans.”
The bill will now be considered by the full Iowa Senate. Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said following the successful Committee vote that he estimated online poker had a 50-50 chance of being approved by the full Senate. Gronstal however also speculated that these were far better odds than those facing the issue in the Republican-dominated lower house, according to the Eastern Iowa Government.
