Utah Governor Objects to Federal Online Poker Bill: Shoots Off Letter to Reid

(Associated Press) Utah Gov. Gary Herbert is urging congressional leaders to oppose efforts to legalize Internet poker.

Herbert says in a letter to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Republican House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio that gaming laws should be decided by states and not the federal government.

Utah and Hawaii are the only states that outlaw all types of gambling, including the lottery and pari-mutuel betting.

Herbert's letter follows the signing of a bill passed by Utah lawmakers reinforcing the state's gambling prohibitions.

House Bill 108 clarifies that Internet gambling is included in the state ban on gaming, even if Congress were to legalize it. The bill easily passed the Utah Legislature during the session that ended last month.