Now is not the time for poker

Should North Dakota become the first state to regulate Internet poker sites? That's the debate raging this week in the Legislature. The House voted 50-44 on Tuesday to approve putting a state constitutional amendment on the ballot. Voters would make the final decision.

Supporters of the idea say it's better for state government to regulate Internet poker than to leave the players unprotected. They say the Wire Act, a federal anti-gambling law, does not ban Internet poker. Live Internet poker is already in the state, they say, and it would be better regulated if it were under state control.

The amendment would add one sentence to Article 11, Section 25 of the constitution: "The legislative assembly shall authorize Internet live poker, located in the state and licensed and regulated by the state."

Opponents say allowing live Internet poker to be state-regulated would amount to the state endorsing that form of gambling. They also argue that North Dakota doesn't need another form of gambling, with lottery games, bingo halls, casinos on American Indian reservations and gambling operations run by North Dakota charities already available.

We tend to agree. We don't need another avenue for gambling in our state right now, especially one that's just becoming popular and is surrounded by questions. There's no need for lawmakers to rush into anything and make a hasty decision. Bring the idea back in two years at the next session, and let's see where the live Internet poker industry is then.

News Added: 10 March, 2005

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