There are several states in the US showing interest in online casino gambling for 2016. Over the past three years, states such as California and Pennsylvania have shown interest in the industry but have not yet passed legislation to regulate and authorize online casino or poker gaming. Back in 2013, Delaware, New Jersey and Nevada began to offer such gaming options, allowing residents of the respective state or visitors within the borders to take part.
Since last year, Pennsylvania has been expected to pass legislation to offer online casino gaming. Bills have been introduced by Assemblymen and Representatives only to go so far before dwindling out. A strong proponent of online gambling in the state has been Assemblyman John Payne. Payne is the Chairman of the Gaming Oversight Committee who has hosted hearings and even proposed legislation for online casino gaming.
Payne has been a staunch supporter of iGaming and has continued to fight the good fight to show other legislators why casino and poker games need to be allowed online within the state. Payne introduced HB 649 last year which would legalize and regulate online gambling within the state and introduced HR 140 at the same time to call for Congress to reject the RAWA legislation.
RAWA is the Restoration of America’s Wire Act, which would change the Department of Justice opinion of the 1961 Wire Act which would stop online gambling from taking place in the United States. Payne has been successful in gaining support to fight RAWA but with a recent decision by the legislator, the state may soon lose a proponent.
John Payne as well as Nick Kotick, the Gambling Oversight Committee Chairman, have both announced they are not planning to seek reelection. Both men will be retiring, which will leave two spots empty during election time and two less voices for online gambling within the state. Both are worried that their retirement will hurt the efforts to pass legislation in favor of online gambling as they will not be around to voice their support.
Payne stated that his mission statement is to keep gaming in general healthy but in particular he wants to make sure the casinos stay healthy and competitive against neighboring states. He does not want to see the four casinos of the state to close like Atlantic City, a former gambling mecca that has been struggling for several years now.
Payne also stated that he would rather have online gambling, fantasy sports betting and bar machines to help with state revenues instead of sales taxes or income tax increase. On his retirement, Payne commented earlier in the year that he will miss several aspects of his job but has decided that it is time to being a new chapter in his life, spending more time with family. Kotick has yet to comment on his retirement in the public.
One must consider that with both legislators going into retirement, someone will be taking their place. If that official decides to not be in favor of online gambling, the state could take even longer to enter the industry, if at all. It all depends on who takes up the position and if the legislators are in support of online gaming.
So, the state of Pennsylvania will have to wait and see who takes on the positions left behind by Payne and Kotick. Hopefully, whoever it is, they will be in support of online gaming and will be willing to push for the legislation to be passed to allow online gaming to take place. In the meantime, the efforts by both politicians will be remembered and can hopefully help move along the state to be the next to enter the iGaming industry.
