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Alabama’s Gambling Referendum in Jeopardy Unless House & Senate Can Resolve Disagreement on Details
Alabama residents could get their first chance since 1999 to vote on gambling expansion in a referendum this year, but only if the state’s two legislative chambers can agree on which forms of gambling should go on the ballot. After months of preparations, the House passed two comprehensive bills in February. These included a lottery, […]
Maine Online Casino Defeated in House, Has Slim Chance in Senate
A Maine online casino bill failed by three votes on April 9, when 74 members of the Maine House of Representatives voted against LD1777. Exactly 71 representatives voted for the iGaming measure that would have legalized iGaming for Mainers, with revenue heading to the state’s tribes. It likely means the bill is dead. However, the bill […]
Maryland’s Legislative Session Ends With Online Casino Effort Half-Finished—What Killed It?
With the final day of the Maryland legislative session, April 8, having come and gone uneventfully, we can officially say that the online casino legalization effort is dead for this year. So, what killed it? For all practical purposes, hope was already extinguished last week when lawmakers didn’t include online casino revenue in the state’s budget. However, a […]
Virginia Gov. Youngkin Blocks Skill Games Bill at Last Moment, Returns to Legislature With Amendments
The fate of skill games in Virginia remains undecided, as Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed the bill at the last possible moment, returning it to the legislature with recommendations for amendment late last night. The nature of the amendments isn’t yet known, though they will be published on the legislature’s website shortly. One possibility is that Gov. Youngkin may […]
Maryland Online Casino Referendum Needs a Last-Minute Miracle, as Senate Budget Provides No Help
Maryland’s legislative session will end on Monday, April 8, meaning we’re now on the last play of the game when it comes to hopes for an online casino referendum this November. There’s clear momentum in the state, as the House passed a bill in March. However, the Senate has proven stubborn, and hopes of a last-minute change of […]
Gov. Youngkin’s Inaction Leaves Virginia Skill Games Bill in Limbo as Veto Deadline Looms
A bill that would legalize slots-like skill games across Virginia remains in limbo, awaiting action by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin after earning bipartisan support from the state’s General Assembly. The governor has until Monday, April 8, to take action on any remaining legislation passed during the recent legislative session—including the state budget. If Gov. Youngkin […]
Downstate NY Casino License Delays Could Mean No iGaming Until 2026 at Earliest
Establishing a new casino resort is rarely quick, but the New York downstate licensing process has been positively glacial—and worse, it’s holding up other gambling expansion efforts. In the latest update, the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) said it might not issue licenses until late 2025. That’s a problem for Sen. Joe Addabbo and his allies […]
Bill Seeks to Double New Jersey Online Gambling Tax, But Will It Go Anywhere?
State Sen. John McKeon wants New Jersey online casino and sportsbook operators to pay higher taxes. The first-term senator has pre-filed a bill that would hike New Jersey online gambling taxes to 30%, nearly double existing tax rates. However, New Jersey’s retail casino lobby has said it opposes any online tax hike. Because Bill S3064 […]
Pennsylvania Skill Game Manufacturers and Operators Fight Philadelphia City Council Ban
G&B Amusements, a distributor of Pace-O-Matic (POM) gaming machines, and Philly-based 7-Eleven franchise owner Tariq Jalil are suing the city of Philadelphia to keep the machines operating in spite of a municipal ban. The lawsuit is an attempt to block legislation passed by Philadelphia City Council last week banning skill machines inside convenience stores and […]
Maryland House Bill Crosses Over to Senate, With Emphasis on Addressing Job Concerns
On March 26, Del. Vanessa Atterbeary presented her Maryland online casino bill to the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee, emphasizing its importance to the education budget and the efforts made in the bill to address concerns about employment in the retail sector. Although this year’s iGaming effort began in the Senate, those original bills are now dead. Atterbeary’s […]
