Pennsylvania state politicians have been getting excited over the prospect of legal online poker in recent months. And now we have some hard evidence that residents of the Keystone State would also favor iPoker being legalized. As reported by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the Omega Group polled 769 registered voter households and discovered that 58% were in favor of regulating online gaming. Let’s discuss the full findings from Omega’s poll and later cover a phony survey created by Sheldon Adelson.
Results from Omega Group’s Poll
– 66% (for) to 20% (opposed) of PA residents want online gaming taxed so that money can be raised for education and other state-funded programs.
– 80% to 14% of respondents want Pennsylvania to use technology that prevents children from gambling online.
– 52% to 30% believe that PA law enforcement should have jurisdiction over iGaming sites.
– 58% to 26% of those polled want Pennsylvania to pass a law that licenses and regulates online gaming.
– 61% to 17% of respondents would vote for an all-in-one bill that protects children from gambling online, generates millions for state programs, and gives law enforcement the power to go after offshore iGaming sites.
PPA Response to this Survey
John Pappas, the executive director of the PPA, was very pleased with the results of the Omega Group’s study. Here’s a look at what he wrote:
“Online poker and other forms of online gaming are already happening in the state but it is completely unregulated and offers no meaningful protections for minors, problem gamblers or safeguards for consumers. It’s clear Pennsylvanians believe this is a problem and they want a solution. They also want to see the state receive the tax benefit of a regulated online poker market for state programs. Today those dollars are going overseas. That money should stay in Pennsylvania.”
Sheldon Adelson’s Phony Poll claims 73% of PA Residents oppose iPoker
On a humorous note, Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson is still commissioning phony surveys on iGaming. His latest one, which he bulk-mailed to PA residents, claims that 73% oppose online gaming. Additionally, 68% of these voters allegedly believe that iGaming is “completely different than traditional gambling.” And finally, “Voters are three times more likely to vote against legislators who support internet gambling.”
Of course, much like a four-state poll that he released earlier this year, little is known about this murky survey, beyond the numbers and graphs that Adelson posted at StopInternetGambling.com. His last survey was guilty of the framing effect, where respondents are led to give desired answers by the phrasing of questions. And since the questions are unavailable for this poll, we can likely assume that’s still the case now.