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Written by Marcus | Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
The most recent version of the online gambling licensing legislature in Massachusetts criminalizes Internet poker and online gambling. House Speaker of Massachusetts, Robert DeLeo, introduced the bill Thursday and will call for a vote in two weeks.
In defense on Internet poker, some individuals like Governor Deval Patrick and other groups have stepped forward against the revised bill. While DeLeo doesn’t plan on holding a public hearing regarding the legislation, Patrick told the Boston media, “I know people have thought about these issues before, but it’s a very important decision for the Commonwealth. There are people who have strong feelings on all sides of it and we should do our work here out in the open. We should have a hearing and let people make their case.”
DeLeo claims that public hearings have already been held to discuss this issue and “everything has been studied thoroughly.”
The bill consists of two Mass. casino licenses to be issued for $100 million each. Additionally, at the price of $15 million each, four slot machine licenses will be given out. According to the Boston Globe, the bill will stimulate job creation and “gambling revenue would be directed toward community colleges, tourism, programs, schools, and the state’s rainy day fund.” Also, the Mass. police force will expand to oversee the industry.
The scary part is that on the 123rd page of the 172-page bill, it states, “Any person who knowingly transmits or receives a wager of any type by any telecommunication device, including telephone, cellular phone, internet, [or] local area network… or knowingly installs or maintains said device or equipment for the transmission or receipt of wagering information shall be punished.” Anyone brave enough to defy the law will face up to $25,000 in fines or up to two years in jail.
This law applies to “any person who, from within the Commonwealth, transmits a wager to, or receives a wager from, another person or gaming establishment within or outside of the Commonwealth” with the only exemption being law enforcement officers who will be policing the online gambling industry.
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Written by Marcus · Filed Under news · |
