Iowa legislators revived a bill last week that may lead to the regulation of online poker in the Hawkeye State.
State Senate Study Bill 1068 (SSB 1068), to be considered by the State Government Committee, is the starting point for the 2013 version of Iowa’s attempt to enact internet poker regulations.
The bill closely resembles Senate File 2275, the 2012 version that passed through the Senate but ultimately did not progress beyond the Republican controlled State House of Representatives.
SSB 1068, which requires committee approval before it can be voted on by the full Senate, is a poker-only bill that would allow Iowa players to engage in internet wagering with other persons “regardless of location,” to the extent permissible by law.
Other states are also considering permitting online poker to be played with players outside their jurisdictions. It is a proposed change in Nevada, where online poker is already legal, and New Jersey, where a bill to regulate a wide variety of online gaming has passed through the legislature and will become law unless the Governor vetoes the bill by February 7.
The Iowa bill also allows for the licensing of service providers; however, those that are determined to have violated “the laws of any jurisdiction where the service provider has operated” will not be eligible to receive a license, a so-called “bad actor” clause.
