Florida’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability today released a report on Internet gambling that lays out three scenarios for the Florida Legislature to consider concerning Internet poker – maintain the status quo, ban it or regulate it.
The <a href="http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us/summary.aspx?reportnum=09-39">report</a>, requested in House Bill 225, says there are advantages and disadvantages to all three options.
The status quo would defer any future regulatory costs to the federal government if it decides to regulate online poker, but it doesn’t immediately help protect Florida consumers.
Banning Internet poker would reduce the number of Floridians playing online, but would be hard to enforce.
Regulating Internet poker would increase state revenue, but would have regulatory costs and might face potential court challenges.
The report is non-binding, and simply serves as a research tool for legislators to use.
Related, Ante Up has obtained a copy of a report from H2 Gambling Capital that projects that regulated online poker in Florida could generate gross revenues of $226 million in 2010, rising to $450 million by 2014. The report suggests a regulatory framework that would divide revenues between three groups:
State of Florida: 20% (including 5% in regulatory fees)
Platform provider: 30%
Brick & mortar poker rooms: 50%
