US States Look to Legalize Online Poker to Help Budgets

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Online poker: US states gamble on making it legal
25 March 2011 By Katie Connolly BBC News, Washington

Full Article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12705471

Each year, an estimated 10 million Americans participate in an activity that is ostensibly illegal: online poker.

In recent years, the US Congress has done its best to prohibit online poker.

While it has not made online poker an outright criminal activity, it has passed legislation setting up a strict system outlawing financial transactions related to the game.

But that might be about to change, if cash-strapped states have anything to say about it.

Moves are afoot in Iowa, Florida, California and Nevada to legalise online poker, in part to help close yawning budget gaps.