Most New Online Poker Legislation Fails to Progress in 2024
The majority of individual state legislative sessions finished for this year already. While there were some pro-igaming and online poker bills up for consideration in several states, not one passed. There is an outside chance that budget allocations and emergency sessions could include some form of igaming legislation, but it is unlikely, especially in a presidential election year.
The only state in which igaming remains alive is Illinois. It is a longshot.
There were hopes for several bills this year, namely in Maryland and Maine. However, with little advocacy or lobbying for online poker in any state in America, there is no cohesive messaging to push the issue.
Let’s see how the 2024 bills fared.
New York – Dead Again
It was the same story as in previous years for New York igaming legislation. State Senator Joseph Addabbo and Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow introduced companion bills in their respective chambers early in the year. Both bills sat in Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee files without any movement.
As usual, Addabbo appeared to be the only legislator talking about online poker and online casino games as an asset to the state and a complement to land-based casinos. He even amended his bill to address initial concerns from the New York Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, as they continue to perpetuate the long-dispelled myth of online gambling cannibalizing land-based properties. The amended bill sat untouched by the committee as well.
Addabbo also tried to push for igaming to be included in the annual New York budget. Governor Kathy Hochul is said to be open to igaming revenue, but she has yet to indicate a willingness to put it into the state’s budget.
While the New York legislative session is not officially closed, there appears to be no overcoming the aforementioned union concerns about cannibalization. Addabbo, however, has stayed positive, telling PlayNY that he’s not giving up.
“There’s always a pathway forward. You just have to have initiative. You have to figure it out. And I’m ready. I’ll always be ready. But it can never be just me or any single legislator. Any state that has igaming is because that governor wanted it or needed it.”
Maryland – Close but No Cigar
There were high hopes for Maryland in 2024. State Senators Ronald Watson and Nancy King, who sponsored legislation in 2023, assisted in providing a lot of information to fellow lawmakers about igaming.
The two 2024 bills went directly to the Budget and Taxation Committee desk, and both obtained positions on the February docket for a hearing. But it was the House bill introduced by Delegate Vanessa Atteberry that went to a hearing first in its Ways and Means Committee. PlayMaryland outlined the hearing and discussions.
Ultimately, on March 14, the Ways and Means Committee pushed the bill, complete with some amendments, to the House floor for a vote. There were more amendments, most rejected, and the bill did pass on the third reading by a vote of 92-43.
That sent the amended bill to the Maryland Senate for a March hearing. After that hearing, however, the Budget and Taxation Committee did not vote to send the bill to the Senate floor for a vote.
This topic is not likely to appear in the legislature again until 2026, when supporters can pass a bill to put the issue on the ballot for voters of the state. Senator Watson, believes that is the only way to move igaming forward in his state.
Wyoming – Quick Death
One of the unexpected bills in 2024 was a House Bill in Wyoming. State Representative Robert David and several cosponsors introduced an interactive gaming bill.
It was going to be a tough sell, as there has not seemed to be much of an appetite to expand gambling in Wyoming in past years. In addition, the bill would have required at least five interactive licenses to be issued to create a competitive marketplace. The entire US igaming market isn’t large enough to meet that requirement.
Nevertheless, the effort was solid, but the bill failed to receive the support for its introduction. The initial vote of 25-36 failed to show that the bill was ripe for debate, so it died there.
Hawaii – Not a Chance
As so happens every few years, a couple of rogue lawmakers introduce gambling-related bills in a state that has shown no willingness to allow any kind of gambling. Hawaii State Representative John Mizuno and Senator Ronald Kouchi introduced companion bills this year to try to establish a gambling commission and legalize online poker and sports betting only. The hope was that profits would benefit wildfire victims from the 2023 Maui fire.
Both bills passed their first readings and went to the committee stage, but neither bill made it to a hearing. It was an admirable attempt but with very little support from the start.
Illinois – Still Alive
Bills from 2023 still – more than a quarter of the way through 2024 – remain in play. Illinois State Senator Cristina Castro and Representative Edgar Gonzalez Jr reintroduced last year’s bills in January 2024. The supporters of online poker and casino games have not abandoned their efforts.
In fact, the two made progress with the Internet Gaming Act.
The Gonzalez version of the bill – HB.2239 – went to the House Rules Committee on April 5. At the same time, the Castro version of the Internet Gaming Act – SB.1656 – was in the Senate Subcommittee on Gaming, Wagering, and Racing. The deadlines for action on the Senate bill keep getting extended, and the third reading deadline is now set for May 3.
There is no indication that their fellow Illinois lawmakers are prepared to consider the bills for a floor vote, but movement in April is encouraging.
Maine Gave Good Effort
In another case of carrying over legislation from one year to the next, Maine lawmakers brought an internet gaming bill into 2024 to give legal igaming rights to Wabanaki Nations. The bill had been tabled in May 2023 and again in January 2024.
However, progress this year included a February hearing and an amendment tacked on later that month. That amended version went to the Senate in April and passed by a vote of 19-13, and if the House passed it, the voters of Maine would have been able to vote on the proposal in November 2024. However, the House voted it down 75-70. That killed it. Any efforts in the future will require a new bill and a start from the beginning of the process.
Nothing for Iowa
There was a slight chance of a 2023 bill being discussed in 2024 in the Iowa legislature. Iowa Representative Bobby Kaufmann’s proposal was light on details, and it does remain open until January 2025, but there have been no indications of movement thus far.
