Jon Bonacic, said the proposal would be carefully considered.
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What was trumpeted as the latest and best attempt to persuade a state legislature towards passing online gaming and/or poker regulations took place in Albany, NY, yesterday.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s cozy relationship with billionaire businessman Donald Trump is drawing fresh attention as the Republican presidential contenders prepare to headline a Capitol Hill rally.
New York’s racetrack-based casino operators are urging state officials to go slow with any effort to legalize online poker and, if permitted, any internet poker program should be awarded only to the racinos and other land-based gambling facilities licensed in the state.
A state legislative panel listened to both sides Wednesday during a hearing on a proposal to license and tax Internet poker games.
Supporters including large gambling companies like MGM told the lawmakers that gamblers are already playing risky, unregulated online games that provide no governmental revenue. Of critical importance, he said, is whether online gambling would drain revenue from existing racinos and three new casinos that plan to open within the next few years.
Also taking turns at the microphone were casino honchos David Satz of Caesars Entertainment, Tom Ballance of Borgata, and John McManus representing MGM Resorts. “Establishing a regulatory regime for online poker in New York…(should) keep consumer interest at the forefront”, Pappas commented. “It is vitally important for New York to establish a system that allows for it to share players with other regulated jurisdictions.” “It is critically important to monetize that customer base”.
“I don’t want to say that horse has left the barn, but we’ve been through all of that when we had the referendum on the three casinos and developing that legislation”, Bonacic said. No time frame was suggested for this waiting period except for the general “several years”.
“New York needs to ensure that such [online gaming] experiences happen in New York”, Michael Pollock, Managing Director, Spectrum Gaming Group, testified in reference to existing offshore gaming sites catering to Americans.
Opponents of gambling criticized Bonacic’s hearing, questioning why he didn’t invite them to testify. S. Representative Jason Chaffetz’s hearing regarding his bill, “The Restoration of America’s Wire Act of 1961” (or RAWA), in the U. The state is far from legalizing any legislation but the fact that they are discussing the issue is a step in that direction.
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“The WSOP has gone insane”, he said of how popular poker has become.
