The state of Michigan and the charity poker rooms are battling out their differences, as the emergency rules are about to expire in July. These emergency rules were put in place as to govern, regulate, and license any charity event that holds and participates in playing poker.
However, Republicans Sen. Rick Jones and Rep. Tom Barrett have set out to introduce a bill, that if passed would put these emergency rules in place permanently. Obviously this would come as a detriment to the Michigan Charitable Gaming Association and their poker rooms, seeing as how these rules will and have cost millions in revenue.
Michigan Governor, Rick Snyder has stated that charity poker has “run amok” and is in dire need of more oversight. What I find interesting is that online poker is argued to be highly regulated in the states that have allowed it, but the charity poker rooms are expected to self-regulate based on the fact they are a charity.
Each one of the stated parties are awaiting final word from the Court of Appeals.