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Following New Jersey’s rejection of a licensing application from the world’s largest online poker company, PokerStars, its parent company is now said to be looking at neighboring New York State.
While New York does not yet allow real money online gambling, that could all change. PokerStars has reportedly begun hiring lobbyists to push for legalization in a state that this year embraced expansion of its brick and mortar casinos.
From Casino.org:
One New York media source reports that one of PokerStars top lobbyists has already held private meetings with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo regarding this possibility. And after all, it makes sense; Cuomo pushed to legalize land gaming in his state for years, and certainly understands the financial possibilities for his state’s coffers via gaming taxes, so no reason why he wouldn’t feel warm and fuzzy towards online casinos as well.
It looks like at least Cuomo’s legal team is on Rational’s side; New York law firm Cozen O'Connor's rep Stuart Shorenstein had the ear of Bennet Liebman, who is acting as the Governor’s chief advisor on all things gambling these days. According to Shorenstein, it’s now “a good time for an open architecture”; in other words, since you’re opening all these brick-and-mortar casinos, why not add the Internet to the pot? According to a Cuomo spokesman, the governor has taken no official stance on this proposition at this time.
So far, PokerStars has been denied a license to operate in both Nevada and New Jersey. Both states gambling boards cite Stars willingness to continue taking bets from customers located in the US long after prohibition was passed in 2006.
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
