Time is ticking on New York online poker

June 20, 2017

A breakthrough for online poker in the State of New York legislature as the 2017 Legislative Session draws to a close tomorrow, Wednesday June 21 is extremely unlikely, despite positive moves from Senator John Bonacic’s S3898 proposal in recent weeks. InfoPowa readers will recall, S3898 was passed by the State Senate earlier this month, lifting […]

New York senate online poker bill approved for a second time

June 15, 2017

The New York Senate has voted in favor of John Bonacic’s S3898 online poker bill 53-9 following the addition of a bad actor clause. The bill would allow eleven licensees to offer Omaha Hold’Em and Texas Hold’Em Poker in the State to residents 21 years and older. S3898 now moves to the New York Assembly […]

Absolute Poker co-founder in plea bargain deal

June 13, 2017

Despite facing multiple felony charges, Absolute Poker co-founder Scott Tom has negotiated a plea bargain deal to just one misdemeanor count of being an “accessory after the fact to the transmission of wagering funds” which carries, at most, a two-year jail term. The agreement includes Tom’s forfeiture of “any and all property” gained by the […]

Internet poker bill passes New York Senate finance committee

May 10, 2017

A day of highs and lows for U.S. gambling expansion as the New York Senate Finance Committee passed online poker bill S3898, Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by Senator John Bonacic, will progress to the New York Senate to be heard for a second time having been shelved in the last session (see previous  reports). Enactment […]

Hopes fade for California online poker legalisation this year

April 25, 2017

Several US industry observers have commented on the apparent lack of activity so far this year regarding online poker legalisation initiatives, and Online Poker Report offered a possible reason following an interview with Rep. Reggie Jones-Sawyer, a long-time driver of legalisation proposals in the state over the past decade. Jones-Sawyer said that he would not […]

Fall in popularity sees U.S. land operators reducing poker facilities

March 26, 2017

The Associated Press news agency carried an interesting report over the weekend claiming that US land casinos are reducing their poker table facilities in line with the waning popularity of the game, especially following the 2011 enforcement actions against online poker operators The report notes that on the Las Vegas Strip alone there has been […]

New york online poker legalisation on hold until june

March 22, 2017

Last week the inclusion of possible online poker revenues in the New York state budget (see previous  reports) raised hopes that legalisation was just a step away, but that optimism has been dampened by the news that the provision has been removed in the final budget debate. Instead, the state Assembly has delayed discussion on […]

Absolute Poker founder returns to the U.S. to face charges

February 24, 2017

Absolute Poker players left unpaid when the online poker operator crashed amid federal enforcement actions and allegations of cheating back in 2011 (see previous  reports) will long remember the name Scott Tom (37) and his elusive behaviour during the crisis which engulfed the company he founded. On Thursday the wounds inflicted by the Absolute Poker […]

Here we go again: new online poker legalisation bill filed in California Assembly

February 21, 2017

In what has become almost an annual event for the past decade, a proposal for the intrastate legalisation on online poker in California has again surfaced in the state Assembly. The indefatigable Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer, undeterred by his past failures to achieve success, is again the man behind the new bill AB 1677, the Internet […]

Pretlow introduces second online poker bill to New York assembly

February 8, 2017

Following discussions between New York Assembly gambling committee chairman Rep. Gary Pretlow and the neighbouring New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement regulator, A05250 was introduced to the Assembly earlier this week. The bill, sponsored by Pretlow, is described the “same as” S03898, a bill re-submitted earlier this month to the legislature by State Senator John […]