A Louisiana politician has asked that the state's House Legislative Committee take a look into the pros and cons of licensing internet gambling within its borders.
State Representative Mike Huval made the request for the next legislative session, which is scheduled to begin in April. Gambling is a popular pastime in the Pelican State, with more than $14.3 billion in gaming tax revenues being given to the state in 23 years.
Huval said that his goal is to protect punters in his home state, and that he wants to try to beat neighboring states to the online gambling punch. "It’s not a matter of if, it's just a matter of when it's going to happen," the politician told radio station 3KATC.
Huval said that if online gambling legislation is passed, he would like to see the state government take responsibility for oversight, with online operators being restricted to currently licensed land casino owners.