Internet poker licensing advocate exploring ballot initiative

[Thom Little]

Fargo state Rep. Jim Kasper is asking gambling companies to help finance a ballot measure that would make North Dakota the first state to license and regulate Internet poker businesses.

Kasper aggressively pushed the idea in the Legislature early this year, only to have the North Dakota Senate defeat a licensing bill and a constitutional amendment that would have given lawmakers authority to regulate Internet poker.

Kasper believes North Dakotans may embrace the proposal if its licensing revenues were used to reduce local property taxes.

"It's a natural," the Fargo Republican lawmaker said. "I believe if we did do an initiated measure, with the fact we're going to reduce people's property tax, I think it's a slam dunk."



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