Louisiana To Consider Online Poker

Louisiana has joined the growing number of states that are considering the legalization of Online Poker and other forms of internet gambling. Representative Mike Huval has asked a joint committee to look into the issues and practicality of online gambling and that the report to be ready before the 2014 legislative session. There will be a fair few agencies and individuals involved in putting the proposal together including the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice and the Senate Committee on Judiciary B. These two agencies along with the Governor and the gaming divisions of both the state police and attorney general's office. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board will of course also be involved.

The Louisiana Gaming Industry

In the past 23 years since gambling in the state was legalized, the industry has contributed more than $14.3 billion in tax revenues, with estimates that see gaming providing around 6% of state generated revenue in 2013. Louisiana has plenty of river boat casinos and more than 20 land based bricks and mortar establishments. There is a law in the state that dates back to 1997 that made it legal to gamble using a computer and Huval in his outline states that many residents of the state already do gamble online. Although the law may now be somewhat out of date it can still provide the backbone for the new laws. In essence Huval is stating exactly the same things as lawmakers in both New Jersey and Nevada stated before the legalization process was put in place. There are a number of states now in the similar situation, in either considering or having proposed bill to legalize online gambling including California, Pennsylvania, Illinois and New York.