A Republican state rep from Massachusetts filed an amendment last week to gambling legislation to allow for Internet poker. If approved, Dan Winslow's legislation would set the stage for Massachusetts to be first state to allow regulated online poker.

From the MetroWest Daily News:

Winslow, a Republican from Norfolk, said the amendment fits nicely into the proposed gambling bill, which addresses casinos and slot machines. Adding Internet poker, he said, would maximize total revenue while creating more jobs.

"This one, I think, is a great opportunity for Massachusetts to take the lead. No state in the country has yet enacted legislation to authorize and regulate Internet poker," said Winslow, who was inspired to file his amendment after talking with various experts in the field as part of his review of the gambling bill.Winslow said similar proposals have been floated in New Jersey, Florida and Nevada but have not yet been enacted - the New Jersey plan was initially approved by the Legislature there, but was vetoed by the governor.