The Michigan state Senate easily passed a bill that would authorize the state’s Gaming Control Board to enter into interstate poker compacts for the purpose of sharing player pools with other states. The bill now moves to the state House.
The legislation, SB 991, is a simple bill that would amend last year’s Lawful Internet Gaming Act to authorize interstate poker compacts. It would leave detail and rules to the gaming board.
It passed by a vote of 389-36 and its sponsor, Senator Curtis Hertel Jr., has predicted that passage also will go smoothly in the House, although a vote is not expected there until late in November.
“I think the bill is a common-sense thing all agreed to and it should move on,” Hertel told the PlayMichigan news site. “I don’t think there’s any controversy. How fast, I don’t know. I don’t think it will be before the election. Probably right after.”
