Florida USA Study to Legalize Onlne Poker

In the United States of America Florida is a tourist destination and as everyone is aware tourism is down all over the world. It is one industry in Florida that will take some time to recover. Florida’s politicians are thinking proactively about how to get more into their tax coffers and so recently commissioned a study to enlighten themselves before it decides on legalisation for online poker regulation.

The state's Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability presented the document to the legislature last week and it is expected to be given to Florida’s Senate by the end of November 2009. As expected the document gives the politicians the usual choices with reasons for and against each choice. If the government chooses to do nothing, it is simple, they have to wait for a Federal solution which they may not be happy with. If they actively prohibit online poker, difficulties regarding effective enforcement arise.

The report has a slight bias when the opponents of gambling activity and it’s growth are quoted as pointing out some debateable facts. Legalising online poker within the state seems to offer the advantage of control over the activity which is closest to Florida's desire to regulate and increase tax revenues for the ailing economy. The study did not elaborate on the benefits in any detail stating ‘expanding authorized gambling in the state to include Internet gambling could generate revenue' but 'at this time no objective estimates exist to assess potential state revenues.’ This statement dismisses the Poker Voters of America accounting presented to the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability that estimates ninety million dollars could be generated by the inclusion of online poker tax revenues. The report focuses mostly on the existing laws that are in place at the Federal level and how they relate to State legislation.