HB 1536 is already the third Indiana online poker bill that failed with the aim of legalising online poker in the Hoosier State after a key committee decided against it.
Indiana online poker bill failed for the third year in a row
For the third year in a row lawmakers have failed to make the bill that would have made online poker legal throughout the state a law.
HB 1536 was introduced on January 12th by Ethan Manning and was then referred to the House Committee on Public Policy.
However, the panel failed to schedule a hearing for the bill before the deadline expired last Tuesday.
Panel didn’t give Indiana online poker bill a chance
The truth is that the panel never gave the Indiana online poker bill a real chance. They did hold hearings on January 24th, January 31st, and February 14th, but never had the plan to make it a law.
Indiana poker players and supporters of online gaming and poker in the Hoosier state will now have to wait and entire year until they can hand in another bill.
What does it take to convince the Committee?
On the contrary, there are strong efforts taking place in Illinois, Indiana’s neighbour state, to legalize online casino poker.
In addition to that, lawmakers in Ohio, where online sports betting launched on January 1st are already looking to expand the law to online poker and online casinos.
If those two scenarios happen then Indiana would be surrounded on three sides by states with legal online poker.
That would put a lot of pressure on Indiana lawmakers to not legalise online gaming in 2024 as they have to be afraid that poker players and online gamers move to the surrounding states.
It will take a lot to convince the House Committee on Public Policy in Indiana, which was the reason why three online poker bills in a row failed, but if above takes place and they fear to miss out on a lot of money and taxes then they will most likely agree.
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