New York state Sen. John Bonacic’s bill S 3898, introduced at the end of last month in the Senate Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee (see previous InfoPowa report) was approved on an 11-0 vote Wednesday and now moves to the Finance Committee for a vote.
InfoPowa readers will recall that a similar bill by the senator attracted overwhelming 53-5 support in the Senate last year, only to fail to advance in the state Assembly when Rep. Gary Pretlow hesitated.
Pretlow has since been in discussions with New Jersey regulators and has reportedly been impressed by the regulatory success of that jurisdiction.
In similar fashion to last year, Bonacic’s bill focuses only on internet poker and seeks to declare poker a game primarily of skill.