Bill to Ban Online Gambling in Kansas Fails

Whilst other states are heading in the right direction, as far as online gambling is concerned, Kansas has taken a very different approach . The legalization in other states, namely Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey has prompted a fair few states into both bill proposals and research into how it could also be of benefit to them, as far as tax revenue goes. However Kansas proposed legislation that would have done exactly the opposite, and banned online gaming totally. The Midwestern state bill would have also reclassified the activity as a Class B misdemeanor with a possible jail term of up to six months being handed out, with a $1,000 fine for those found guilty of the activity. Bill 2055 was proposed to change up existing gambling laws that have been in place since they were first approved in 2007 and were part of a larger measure to bring a state owned casino to the state. The proposal, luckily didn't make it through and fell to a vote of 24 to 15. The bill was proposed by Republican Senator Jacob LaTurner and it would have also meant amendments to racetrack gaming too, removing authorizations and dropping minimum investments required to gain a casino license. One of the largest parts of the bill was to direct the Kansas Lottery Commission to prohibit the operation of electronic gaming machines at racetracks, until the year 2032! That would mean no slots at racetracks we presume, a source of extremely valuable revenue both for the racetrack and the state coffers themselves. It's all a little bit odd and whilst other states are embracing the idea of a new revenue stream, job creation and a local economy boost it appears that Kansas is not. However, let's look on the bright side, the bill didn't make it and therefore no harm done!