Internet Poker Ban and Casino Bill Gets 'No' Vote from Key Mass. Committee- Now to House

The Massachusetts Economic Development committee voted 10 vs. 8 on Wednesday, advising lawmakers to vote against Governor Deval Patrick's Casino Bill that includes a section to criminalize playing online poker or gambling on the Internet, and to fine violators up to $25,000 or a two year sentence.

In Governor Deval Patrick's Bill, whose main focus is to build 3 casinos, the hidden Internet gambling ban is described in three paragraphs. It applies to anyone in Massachusetts who places or receives a wager of any type using a telephone, cell phone, Internet, or local wireless networks. It also applies to anyone who knowingly installs equipment for transmitting wagers. The provision also specifically exempts the proposed casinos from the law.

BILL EFFECTIVELY KILLED

The key legislative committee's negative recommendation, which came after a four-hour delay and arm-twisting by House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, effectively kills the Casino bill for this session. So the quick-to-come vote in the House of Representatives is predicted to be a mere formality.

If the bill is defeated in a House vote, it cannot be brought back until next year.

One committee member abstained from voting and another member's vote was pivotal.

Rep. Richard Ross told The Associated Press he dropped his support for the bill after the owners of the Plainridge horse trotting track in his district said they would rather take a shot at the House passing a bill to install slot machines at the state's four racetracks than seek to amend Patrick's proposal to allow those machines as well as the casinos.

"I got a loud and clear message from my district, that they really wanted me to vote for the adverse report," Ross said. "Really, until the eleventh hour, 59th minute, I was on the phone."

Patrick's bill proposed licensing three casinos spread across Massachusetts. It called for a licensing fee of at least $200 million each, and he projected it would generate $400 million in annual revenues and thousands of permanent jobs.

BILL SPARKED PROTEST RALLY TUESDAY DURING PUBLIC HEARING

The committee vote followed a marathon public hearing Tuesday, where members of the committee heard from opponents and supporters, including Patrick, who all but conceded the bill was heading for likely defeat.

Patrick blamed the expected defeat in part on pressure from House leaders, including DiMasi.

Meantime a protest rally was held outside the legislature's offices where the public hearing was being held.

Harvard Law Professor Charles Nesson and members from his Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society, reps from the Poker Players Alliance, and representatives from the iMEGA Internet freedom pressure group criticized inclusion of an Internet gambling ban within the Casino Bill (click here for related article).

ONLY WASHINGTON STATE MAKES PLAYING ONLINE POKER A CRIMINAL OFFENSE

The state of Washington is currently the only U.S. state that makes playing poker online a criminal offense; the legality of criminalizing it is being challenged in a court case (click here for related article).

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