New federal online poker bill set to be introduced

A new federal egaming bill expected to offer favourable terms to state lotteries is set to be introduced by New York State Congressman Peter King, according to his aide.

While details regarding the content of the draft legislation are not yet clear, it is expected to restrict online gaming in the US to poker only, while also including state lotteries as eligible operators.

The recent draft legislation proposed by Senators Harry Reid and Jon Kyl, which was never introduced, was heavily criticised by state officials for excluding lotteries from being able to offer online gambling except for daily lottery games. Complaints were received from, among others, Massachusetts lottery director Steve Grossman, Kentucky Lottery Corporation president Arthur Gleason and the National Governors Association.

The Reid-Kyl bill was also accused of promoting Nevada casinos’ interests above those of any other state, something which King is also expected to avoid in his legislation. King’s spokesman Kevin Fogarty told Politico the Representative “intends to introduce [the bill] shortly”.

Passage of a federal bill could halt the state-by-state regulation currently taking place in the US, with New Jersey recently following Delaware and Nevada by legalising online gambling. Representative Joe Barton is also expected to re-introduce his federal online poker bill this year, according to outgoing American Gaming Association CEO and president Frank Fahrenkopf.