Alaska's state House of Representatives passed a measure last week, allowing public poker games for municipalities boasting populations of at least 30,000 occupants. The house passed the poker bill in a vote of 23-16 last week, and now the bill is under review by Alaska's Senate Judiciary Committee.

The poker bill allows public games of poker and other card games to be hosted at one establishment per 30,000 municipality residents. Although host venues of poker games may not receive a cut of the winnings, poker game operators may charge a fee for playing.

Opponents of the poker bill succeeded in controlling the reach of the bill by adding amendments to limit poker play. First, voters in each municipality will be able to decide whether they want public poker games for their jurisdiction. Secondly, Poker players will not be able to use credit to purchase poker chips, so as to control spending on poker games.

Source: Poker777 Staff

Sunday, 8 May 2005