New online gambling legalisation initiative in Massachusetts

A new online poker legalisation initiative came out of left field this week, with sixteen members of the House proposing an amendment (number 365) to state budget planning bill H.3400 and calling for the intrastate licensing of three internet card rooms.

Sponsoring Representatives include Representatives Jones of North Reading; Peterson of Grafton; Hill of Ipswich; Poirier of North Attleborough; Barrows of Mansfield; Beaton of Shrewsbury; Boldyga of Southwick; Durant of Spencer; Ferguson of Holden; Gifford of Wareham; Harrington of Groton; Howitt of Seekonk; Humason of Westfield; Hunt of Sandwich; Kuros of Uxbridge; Mirra of West Newbury; Smola of Palmer and Wong of Saugus move to amend the bill adding the following sections:

The amendment proposes that licensing fees would be a minimum of $10 million, with this amount credited against GGR fees due to government during the first two years of operations. Monthly fees following this are also recommended, although not detailed.

There are punitive measures designed to spur successful licensees forward in implementing their ventures, and a perhaps predictable anti-competitive “bad actor” provision that effectively excludes any online poker operator who accepted wagers from US residents post-UIGEA (October 2006).

The amendment can be viewed in full here:

http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H3400/Amendment/House/365/OriginalText