As Sen. Jon Kyl and Rep. Bob Goodlatte retool for another run at a federal ban on Internet gambling in the United States, a New Jersey congressman has taken a step in the opposite direction.
State Assemblyman Tony Impreveduto, as foreshadowed in November 2000 through a leak to the media, has gone forth with his proposed bill for regulating Internet gambling. Introduced today in the General Assembly, A-3150 is defined as "an act authorizing the Casino Control Commission to permit Atlantic City casinos to offer casino gambling over the Internet" by amending the "Casino Control Act" of 1977.
The proposed bill mandates that the equipment for virtual casinos can only be operated in designated areas of casinos and/or simulcasting facilities and that patrons of the gaming facilities are not permitted to enter the room(s) where virtual casino equipment is kept. It also calls for extensive game testing, although the specific procedures for doing so are not outlined.
Further, it mandates that virtual casinos provide all account holders with detailed records of all of their gaming sessions; a current account balance, including what the account holder has won and lost; and the complete text of the commission's rules regarding pay-offs and odds.
Matters regarding age verifications and specific measures to prevent compulsive gambling would be left in the hands of the commission, although the bill does outline several policies regarding responsible gambling, such as loss limits and notices of where compulsive gamblers can get help.
The commission would also determine the licensing fee, although the legislation calls for a minimum fee of $200,000 with a renewal fee of at least $100,000. The application fee would be $100,000. An additional $100,000 per year would be deposited into the General Fund for appropriation by the Legislature to the Department of Health and Senior Services--$85,000 of which would go to the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey while $15,000 would be used for compulsive gambling treatment programs in the state.
Licensees would also be subject to the existing provisions of the Casino Control Act, which calls for an 8 percent tax on gross revenues and a 2.5 percent investment alternative tax on gross revenue.
A very interesting side note: The legislation loosely names credit cards as a possible method of deposit, although it appears to leave the ultimate decision up to the commission.
Assemblyman Impreveduto was not available for comment at the time of publishing.
A copy of the bill will be available for viewing at IGN tomorrow.