Poker tournaments a good bet for hawaii tourism

In what supporters portray as a bid to boost a flagging economy and tourism that's taken a sharp hit from last month's Japan earthquake and tsunami, a bill making its way through the Hawaii legislature would legalize online and in-person tournaments of Texas Hold'em and Omaha poker.

The proposed legislation exempts poker from a Hawaii gambling ban by defining it as a game of skill rather than chance. Games played against a computer or casino, such as video poker, are prohibited; the measure would charge potential Internet poker sites at least $100 million each to locate their servers in Hawaii and impose a 20% tax on wagers.

Live poker tournaments in the Aloha State would attract new visitors, fill hotel rooms and bring national TV exposure, bill sponsor Rep. Angus McKelvey, D-Olowalu-Kapalua told the Associated Press.

"Maybe this is a way to help attract mainland visitors back to Hawaii, plus you get the free promotion of this being televised," said McKelvey. "The revenue to the state potentially could be huge," particularly when the number of Japanese visitors is declining. The state-run Hawaii Tourism Authority expects to log an 18.3 percent drop in arrivals from Japan in March.

Source: USA Today