Sep 16, 2015 | News
Did you know that the very first casino to operate as a stand-alone in Pennsylvania was licensed in 2006? That applies to the licensing of real money poker. And with that progress on the poker gaming front came anxiety on the part of gaming commissions within the states of New Jersey as well as Delaware. Poker proceeded to become a serious pastime with twelve brick and mortar casinos opening within Keystone state park. Here, even betting places for real cash poker proceeded to open doors to the public.
Does that mean poker playing is as legal as any other business in Pennsylvania?
Poker playing within brick and mortar venues – the state poker law allows. Online poker playing – Pennsylvania is yet to permit that. Of course, it does not mean that residents of Pennsylvania do not play poker online. Many do engage in online poker on famous sites hosted elsewhere, where they often play games such as Texas Hold’em poker. Right now, the Pennsylvania gaming community remains hopeful that legislators pushing for legalizing of online poker will soon succeed. And the anticipation is greatest within the gaming community in Keystone state park where people are relatively liberal in their way of thinking. In fact, many here are already engaged in online gambling.
How serious have attempts been to legalize online poker within Pennsylvania?
Well, first of all, there was the online poker bill that was presented by Tina Pickett who was chair to the House Committee on Gaming Oversight. That happened in April of 2014. The gaming community was very hopeful that the bill would go through, but Tina herself had her reservations on the bill being passed before its expiry time which was end of that year. She was, however, determined to resume pushing for this long awaited poker law in 2015.
2015 is here – how is the state poker law in Pennsylvania now?
On the legal front, online poker in Pennsylvania is in a state of wait-and-see. Nobody seems to know how quickly online poker will be legalized or if online gambling will be legalized at all. The only significant development that brings a glimmer of hope is the success the state of New Jersey has had with the online poker market once they legalized the online gaming. New Jersey being in the neighbourhood of Pennsylvania, there is likelihood that Pennsylvania may wish to borrow a leaf and make online poker legal.
Any signs legislators are considering legalizing online gambling?
Well, even before the effort shown by Tina Pickett, there was some study that legislators had commissioned towards end of 2013, and that was meant to reveal the state of gambling and betting within the state of Pennsylvania. The firm bestowed the onus was Econsult Solutions. That makes it clear that there is still a good number of lawmakers who hold the opinion that online gambling would be good for the local economy.
Is there hope of the state online poker law being passed soon?
Actually, if legislators think that legalizing online poker will bolster the economy, they are likely to support the passing of its bill overwhelmingly. And going by the report by Econsult, the situation is encouraging. Econsult found that online poker was capable of bringing the state of Pennsylvania a whopping $300 million in annual gross revenues from activities related to poker gaming. If this forecast were to come true, then it means that Pennsylvania would be ahead of its neighbor, New Jersey in revenue gains from online poker. In general, whereas Pennsylvania is yet to put its state online poker law in place, a lot that is happening gives indication that legislation is, very likely, just around the corner.
Sep 15, 2015
Is there a law that directly addresses the issue of online gambling in Canada? The answer is no. Of course there were negative sentiments regarding gambling in the years before the ‘60s, but that changed when the government gave provinces leeway to permit gambling or even poker in their areas. That is actually the time that casinos as well as lotteries began to take root.
Was empowering provinces tantamount to legalizing online gambling?
Well, that has not been brought out explicitly and different people in Canada hold varying views in this regard. What is not in debate, however, is that Canadians engage in online poker and participate in casino activities without hindrance or fear of being nabbed by authorities.
Here are some helpful facts about Canadian online gambling
This code does not give indication that online gambling is illegal; not unless the activity falls anywhere under known specific code areas. That leaves the ground relatively clear for online gambling to take place.
There is no history of anyone having been sued for getting involved with online gambling within Canada. Of course, there was an instance when the country’s Attorney General indicated that online servers that hosted online casinos as well as online poker rooms right from Indian reservations were illegal, but the fact is that nobody is on record as having been charged following that directive.
One major difference is that Canada allows its provinces to regulate the licensing of online casinos whereas the US gives no such powers to its various states.
Whereas in the US it is illegal to make bets on any sporting event, in Canada sport betting is not illegal.
There are many poker sites accessible from Canada. Of course, the hosting, apart from those on Indian reserves, is done outside Canada, but still there is no law making it illegal to gamble on any accessible site.
Did you know that winnings from online gambling are not subjected to taxation in Canada? And that is the same case in the UK and also Ireland. Of course, that situation changes if it can be proven that the gambling being done is business oriented. A good example is the case of winnings by a poker player who is playing professionally. Otherwise in all situations where gamblers are just having fun, taxes do not apply.
Existence of Gaming Authorities
Canada has found it prudent to have a regulating body whose role is to ensure fairness in casino operations. It actually governs how activities are handled and also deal with problems that may arise from time to time. That body has the right to withdraw a license from any casino that breaks the regulating body’s rules. Of course, having the license withdrawn implies that the casino cannot continue to offer online gambling or any other form of gambling.
Any idea who the regulator is?
As mentioned earlier on, every province within Canada has the right to regulate gambling within its area. And then there is the world renowned Kahnawake Gaming Commission. In fact, this commission even has its own servers that host casino sites.
So, is it safe to play poker or gamble online in Canada?
The simple answer is yes. Online gambling has never gotten anyone into legal trouble within Canada. However, it is advisable to take the usual caution of checking out how credible the site is beforehand, but other than that everything else is fine.
Jun 29, 2015 | US States
Tiny Rhode Island consists of two casinos that have table games and more than 50 poker tables. And the populace is slight additional than 1 million. In Tiny Rhode Island online poker business is very small similar to tiny fish in the container.
As in ending of 2013, there was no awaiting online poker or online gambling validation, nor any solemn talks regarding online poker and gambling in Rhode Island. However, Rhode Island would create an ideal accumulation to any throughway poker network.
For a state similar to Delaware, which go be alive with online poker and gambling in the end of 2013, Rhode Island would be the ideal state to have in a throughway online poker system. Consider New Jersey and Nevada to also endeavor to get right to employ to Rhode Island’s gamblers and poker players.
Actually, there are numerous ways; online poker players in states like Rhode Island have an improvement over states with a recognized, versatile casino business. A few years behind the row there will be a handful of states that will have officially authorized online poker. Rhode Island legislator will have the option to decide which states they would like to deal with, or possibly all of them.
There’s little hesitation that Rhode Island’s online poker players will have contact to a few chief sites that will amplify from the debris of the ruin online poker and gambling business in the United States.
Optimistically, Rhode Island will be in the enormous throughway poker system that almost all online poker players are desire for.
When Online Poker Can Play In Rhode Island?
As there are only two casinos in Rhode Island so this is the only way to authorize online poker and gambling. According to information say Delaware in progress meeting with Rhode Island administrator in 2012, but not anything came of them. You could be certain New Jersey is also set attempt to increase admittance to Rhode Island’s online-poker-playing inhabitants.
Talking as an idealist, look for meeting to heat up between Rhode Island, Delaware, and New Jersey in 2014. Right of entry may be approved even as early on 2014, but early 2015 is more possible.
Jun 27, 2015 | US States
Vermont is not a destination for the online poker because there is no casino in the state and only dispersion poker tournaments are held every month. Things are not looking too good for the online poker as there is no interest of authorities to provide online gambling service to the residents, legally.
In late 2013, there was no online gambling or online poker bill was introduced by the elected personals and they don’t even talk about the legalization process of online poker in the state. It can be very tricky situation because people are also not very keen on playing online poker. This state is neighbor to the famous states for providing online poker rooms such as New York but the future of online poker is not bright at the present moment.
It is also complicated process to legalize the online poker because this state is second smallest state in the entire country. If Vermont provides online poker then they can generate great revenue for developing the state but that is only possible if state authority works hard for making online poker legal. This is small state but that can create great atmosphere for online poker because every player will know lot about the other competitors living inside the 9600 square miles.
The only way that could make way for playing online poker legally, is if state lawmakers pass online poker bill that opens gateways for sharing online poker games with neighboring states like Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey and possibly with New York as well. Vermont representatives should make proper contract that should allow online poker players to access poker rooms of these states. It might take lot of time but at present that is the only way that could possibly make online poker legal in Vermont.
It is not very hard process and many optimists believe that New York will sign the contract in 2016 and if that is true then many New York residences that like online poker will visit this place as they can easily access their favorite online game, when they are away from their state.
It is very clear that in further future smaller states like Vermont will become great state by introducing the many casinos and online poker. According to the sources, in 2017, Vermont will select the states that they are going to complete the agreement.
It is very clear that federal government has given green signal to the online poker by introducing Internet Poker Freedom Act in 2013 and Vermont will give online poker player permission to show their skills in this astonishing game.
When Will I Get to Play Online Poker in Vermont?
Vermont will follow the path of other states and that could decide the future of online poker in the state. Federal government had cleared the path of online poker in the country by passing the Internet Poker Freedom Act in 2013 and this has made life of many states easy especially states that are seeking to introduce online poker within their boundaries. It seems that Vermont has the right platform to launch the online poker legally. According to the lawmakers, they are going to legalize the online poker till 2017 with the help of leading online poker states.
Jun 27, 2015 | US States
Online poker is gaining lots of attention of people across the country but some states have declared war against the online poker. Utah is one of the states that have clearly shown signs that they are not going to allow their residence to play online poker under any circumstances.
The residents of Utah can’t access any game that is related with gambling because Utah never allowed any kind of gambling in the state. There are almost all the states offering online games and lottery for sure but Utah has made all kinds of gambling illegal, within its boundary.
In 2013, Utah made statement that authority will never allow any resident of Utah to access the gambling including the online poker. They are very strict against the gambling and the History of Utah suggests that there is no chance of online poker to be played, not even with the cards.
Utah law says, “In case federal law is passed by the government that gives permission to play online gambling to citizen of the USA then federal law provides the authorities to the state that they can opt not to apply the internet gambling in the state boundary, the state can opt out for internet gambling in any manner, that is provided by the federal law well with the time frame provided by the law”.
This law shows that state has the authority to decide that federal laws will be applicable in the state in terms with gambling laws. If online poker is played in the Utah then it is taken as the offense of laws, set by the Utah lawmakers. It is very clear that if you want to play online poker in the Utah then you will be declared as criminal. Therefore, there is no future for online poker in Utah even for the optimistic people.
