Washington online poker bill resurrected
HB 1114 has been reintroduced in the House Commerce and Gaming Committee, anti DFS bill set for Monday hearing
Online poker is back on the cards in Washington after a bill seeking to legalize the activity was reintroduced on the first day of the stateâs 2016 legislative session. [private]
The bill, HB 1114, was introduced to the House Commerce and Gaming Committee by Rep. Sherry Appleton and Rep. Vincent Buys back in January 2015, but died in Committee just weeks later.
Under the bill there would be two types of internet poker license awarded, one for B2B network operators and one for consumer-facing B2C card rooms.
There is no obvious âbad actorâ clause, while the cost of regulation would be covered by license fees which, along with tax rates, would be set by the stateâs Gambling Commission.
The bill had previously been driven forwards by the Washington Internet Poker (WIP) Initiative, which has tirelessly lobbied for regulation in the state.
But WIP director Curtis Woodard told eGR North America he was not optimistic the bill would make much progress this year.
âWithout any support from the industry, there is no way to move the ball,â he said.
âIf the Committee Chair [Rep. Chris Hurst] were to schedule a hearing for the bill, it would be a game changer. I am watching for the hearing notification, but I’m not holding my breath,â Woodard added.
Woodard is right to be cynical as Rep. Hurst recently took aim at the daily fantasy sports industry, introducing a bill that would prohibit the activity in the state.
If passed into law, HB 2730 would not just make it illegal to operate daily fantasy sports in the state but also to advertise sites to players.
Hurstâs bill is scheduled to be heard in the Commerce and Gaming Committee on Monday.