DC delays but pushing on with online gambling plans

Early this year the District of Columbia rubber stamped intra-district online gambling provisions that would allow D.C residents to play poker and casino games online.

When rumors of the D.C. plans first circulated, there was some excitement that it could be the precursor to the flood gates opening and a bunch of other US states following suit with their own intra-state online gambling laws. Indeed a few already had net-gambling draft bills in various stages of political debate …New Jersey, California and Iowa among others.

But there’s been a lot of water under the bridge in the last few months in the US, and most of it has been pretty negative for those in the pro-online gambling camp.

The New Jersey bill was vetoed by Governor Chris Christie, no progress has been made in California or Iowa (or any other state for that matter) and on the 15th of April (now known as “Black Friday”) the Department of Justice emphatically reiterated it’s anti-online gambling stance by shutting down the biggest US facing online poker operators and indicting key individuals connected with those businesses. And just in case there was any doubt about the DOJ’s attitude toward online gambling, Senators Harry Reid and Jon Kyl wrote them an open letter asking for more public opposition to state legislative attempts to legalize the pastime.

“In many cases, Internet gambling advocates in those states cite the silence of the Department of Justice in the face of these efforts as acquiescence. We respectfully request that you reiterate the Department’s longstanding position that federal law prohibits gambling over the Internet, including intrastate gambling (e.g. lotteries).”

The DOJ’s silence on state-based efforts to legalize online gambling has been deafening.  D.C. officials didn’t receive a response when they let them know about their plans… Senators Harry Reid and Jon Kyl haven’t even received a response to their open letter.

District of Columbia pushing on

Despite the threat of a potential showdown, D.C. officials look set to push on with their plans, albeit with a slight delay.  The Washington Examiner reported Thursday that the D.C. Lottery has rescheduled a series of community forums intended to give residents an opportunity to give their opinions on the prospect of local businesses becoming Internet gambling hot spots.  The forums will now be held September-October rather then the initially planned August-September.

The delay is apparently at the request of residents, who preferred the forums not take place during summer.

D.C. officials, and the D.C. lottery are apparently still raring to go. Legal online poker, blackjack and roulette in the District of Columbia could still be a matter of months away.