Quote:
Originally Posted by SackAttack
Difference is, though:
1) Casinos typically have more than just poker going on. Even if they haven't got a full slate of table games, they've got slot machines, and I'd wager that there are far, far more casual (and worse, admittedly) slots players than there are poker players, even online. I'd imagine 'normal slots money dwarfs 'normal' poker money.
2) Lottos advertise huge pots, and you can lose just as easily by pushing 'quik pick' as you can by having a 'system.' There's no psychological entry barrier in terms of difficulty.
Poker is just a different beast than either slot machines (which make up the majority of non-Vegas casinos) or lotteries. Different dynamics altogether, and while I don't doubt it's a profitable venture (or there wouldn't be companies like PokerStars in the first place), I'm skeptical that legalization of online poker would be a tax windfall for the states and federal government.
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Party Poker did a quarter of a billion dollars in revenue last year. That is one company without much of a presence in the United States at all. Throw in other options like a sportsbook, table games, and bingo and you have a huge business.
I easily think it generates billions in revenues in the U.S. and brings players globally to our country. That accounts for a lot of tax money as well as new jobs that spur up. Gambling is big business and there are reasons why companies are willing to pay hundreds of millions for licensing fees in certain states.