Sub-committee Approves Iowa Online Poker Bill

Thursday February 28,2013 : IOWA ONLINE POKER BILL MAKES PROGRESS (Update)
 
Fears that Iowa may get left behind in moves to legalise internet poker
 
Iowa Senator Jeff Danielson's second attempt to get an online poker legalization bill through the state Legislature (his effort last year failed in the House after passing in the Senate) is having a better run of it in 2013, with a state government sub-committee approving the bill Thursday for further progress.
 
The three member committee voted 2 to 1 to forward the measure, with the Republican Party member opposing the proposal.
 
Committee members agreed with Sen. Danielson that there was a need for the state to keep pace with the emerging trend toward legalization taking place in Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey.
 
The bill calls for the Iowa Gaming Commission to regulate Internet poker in homes and casinos with hopes of generating up to $13.2 million in annual tax revenue, the Associated Press news agency reports.
 
The bill now goes to the full committee and will probably be heard next week. The sponsors of SSB 1068 are Senators Jeff Danielson, Wally Horn and Randy Feenstra.