District of Columbia first to legislate poker in U.S.
After months of having other states take the lead on potential legislation for intrastate poker, the District of Columbia is the first jurisdiction to legalize and legislate online poker in the United States of America. After more publicized efforts were stalled or defeated in Nevada, New Jersey, California, Florida and Iowa, the Washington D.C. city council approved a budget that allows lottery provider Intralot to operate a poker website accessible only inside the district's boundaries.Councilman Michael Brown said Monday the measure is “law in the district.” The 30-day window for the Congress, which has final approval over the district’s laws, to raise objections expired on Thursday allowing Intralot to begin launching different games, he said.
According to the The Wall Street Journal, the district estimates online gambling could make the nation’s capital the first test case for “intrastate” online poker, which allows only players within a state or the district to gamble on a site.
Recently Nevada had been in the news for advancing some bills that would legislate poker with powerful allies and opponents vocally stating their case. Just this week Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval said he supported a national option where Congress would approve online poker instead of it being decided on a state-by-state basis.
According to the The Wall Street Journal, the district estimates online gambling could make the nation’s capital the first test case for “intrastate” online poker, which allows only players within a state or the district to gamble on a site.
Recently Nevada had been in the news for advancing some bills that would legislate poker with powerful allies and opponents vocally stating their case. Just this week Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval said he supported a national option where Congress would approve online poker instead of it being decided on a state-by-state basis.
