Sean Chaffin

1 week ago | cardplayer.com | Sean Chaffin

After several states considered increasing the sports betting tax rates, two of the bigger ones took different paths. Ohio recently dropped a plan to boost the state’s rate, while North Carolina appears to be moving forward with a hike. As part of his new budget, Gov. Mike DeWine sought to increase the industry’s tax rate from 20% to 40%, but legislators recently stripped that from an amended version of the budget. The changed version was then passed by the House.

1 week ago | cardplayer.com | Sean Chaffin

Florida legislators are considering a bill that would “decouple” the state’s two horse tracks’ gambling licenses from their races. Gulfstream Park in South Florida and Tampa Bay Downs are required to offer thoroughbred horse races to host other card games. The same requirement applied to Florida dog tracks, but voters banned dog racing through a 2018 ballot referendum. Once the races were forbidden, the tracks were still allowed to operate card rooms.

1 week ago | cardplayer.com | Sean Chaffin

Nebraska might be late to the proverbial party, but it is the latest state to consider online sports betting expansion. Voters approved a ballot measure in 2020 to legalize casinos at the state’s horse racing tracks. During the subsequent legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill allowing retail sports betting at the casinos. In 2023, casinos opened brick-and-mortar sportsbooks. On the other hand, online betting needed an amendment to the state constitution.

1 week ago | cardplayer.com | Sean Chaffin

A pair of computer science and neuroscience students at Northeastern University gave the phrase “playing like a robot” new meaning. Second-year students Nikhil Mukraj and Jacob Shechter recently unveiled a robot that plays live poker at the school’s RISE 2025 Expo. The gathering featured hundreds of student researchers across several disciplines, showing off their work. According to the report from Northeastern Global News, Mukraj’s and Schecter’s robot stole the show.

1 week ago | cardplayer.com | Sean Chaffin

The waiting game for online poker players in Pennsylvania may soon be over. The state appears to be set to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement shared liquidity market within the next few weeks. With the World Series of Poker approaching in May, the move could mean Keystone State players could compete in online bracelet events in a shared player pool with Nevada, Michigan, and New Jersey.