Online Poker Close for New Jersey

Online Poker Close for New Jersey

Friday, 8 February 2013

Governor Chris Christie helped raise a smile across America yesterday after offering a conditional veto of the New Jersey internet gaming bill.

While his decision could have been better – namely him accepting the bill outright – supporters of poker are seeing it as a certain victory.


After deliberating for over a month, Christie has recommended some minor changes to the bill before he would sign the necessary papers to make it law.


Of those changes, an increase in tax from 10% to 15% and a review of the law in 10 years are the most significant.


Such changes are not expected to be met with resistance from those involved in the bill, which means after a few bureaucratic hurdles the bill should become law very soon.


The result of this process has been met with delight from the US poker community as it signals a significant victory for the online industry.


Indeed, PokerStars has already gone on record as saying: “we are pleased that Governor Christie sees the significant benefits of mixing online and offline gaming”.


Moreover, with PokerStars in the process of purchasing an Atlantic City Casino we could see them making a much quicker return to the US than people expected.




Tags: New Jersey, US poker, regulation, Chris Christie