Online gambling will not become a felony in Massachusetts, at least for now.
After a six-hour debate, the State House voted 106-48 on Thursday to send Gov. Deval Patrick's (D) Resort Casino Bill to a study committee, which effectively means the bill was defeated and cannot return for debate until next year at the earliest.
Patrick's bill -- proposed in October 2007 -- was mainly aimed at reviving Massachusetts' ailing budget by licensing three resort-style casinos in different regions of the state. Patrick said the gambling expansion would create $600 million in licensing fees, $400 million in annual tax revenues and 20,000 permanent jobs.
But of grave concern to many -- particularly local poker players -- was a small section buried deep within the bill that would have banned the placement of wagers through Internet gambling sites within or outside the state.
Violators would have faced felony charges, punishable by two years in jail and/or a $25,000 fine.
Two pro-poker groups, the Poker Players Alliance and Harvard's Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society, on Tuesday held a rally on the steps of the State House in Boston to protest the bill ahead of a committee hearing on the matter.
"It's the height of hypocrisy that provisions like these would be included in a bill that seeks to expand brick-and-mortar casinos but at the same time criminalizes those who wish to play the game from the comfort of their own home," PPA Executive Director John Pappas told IGN on Tuesday.
Nesson and members of the PPA also testified at Tuesday's hearing.
Patrick could not be reached for comment, but his office issued a statement today saying Patrick thanked lawmakers who supported the casino bill and looked forward to working with House and Senate leaders to "push our comprehensive jobs creation and economic development agenda."