Unexpected Online Gambling Bill Shows Up
Added: April 10, 2017
In a rather surprising bit of a news, a new Bill addressing legal online gambling sites only recently made its appearance. Shockingly to many industry observers this newly proposed legislation, HB 3067 to be exact, was presented in a West Virginia legislative session. That’s right, HB 3067 is a West Virgina Bill to legalize online gambling action.
As you probably know, the state of West Virginia is not often considered a hotbed of gambling site debates one way or the other. Nevertheless, this Bill is most definitely for real. For the record, note that HB 3067 is sponsored by Delegate Shawn Fluharty along with Sean Hornbuck, Mike Pushkin, Joseph Canestraro and Mike Bates.
Digging deeper into the actual language of HB 3067, the intent and true purpose of this proposed legislation is revealed. According to the Bill’s reference note: “the purpose of the Bil is to authorize Internet gaming managed and licensed through existing authorized gaming facilities in West Virgina.” Note that currently in West Virginia, the West Virginia Lottery Commission represents the gaming facilities referenced in the Bill.
As currently written, HB 3067 addresses a number of concerns that might be expressed when the Bill comes up for debate. For example, the Bill has clear language in place that provides a clear pathway for existing brick and mortar casinos (land based) that wish to offer onlinje gambling services.
Furthermore, HB 3067 has the to be expected stipulations regarding minimum age restrictions, verification that online casino players are clearly within the boundaries or jurisdictions where legal online casino action is authorized. In addition to all of that, HB 3067 also contains clear language to ensure that protocols are in place to minimize instances of problem gambling. Naturally, there is also definitive language in HB 3067 that specifies each and every online casino game must be fair and honest.
Interestingly, HB 3067 also contains language that would open up West Virginia online gambling sites to other states with legal online casino action. You must have noticed that as of late that is an increasingly popular topic of discussion with states contemplating legal online casion action, the interstate cooperation that is.
With all of the above being said, the next most obvious question is whether or not HB 3067 even stands a reasonable chance of passage. Of course at this stage it is too early to forecast one way or the other. Yet if the West Virginia legislators glance around the neighboring states where legal online casino action is already available, they might be motivated to take decisive action this year.