I seldom agree with anything Right Wing, but the OLP thing is, and should be non-partisan.
While it was a nice intro into the issues, I think the piece did not go deep enough.
Also, when comparing OLP to state lotteries, even when they are multi-state lotto's, keep in mind that the states get close to 1/2 the monies involved with the other (very approximately) 1/2 going to the prize pools. OLP can not survive against those kinds of % breakdowns.
There would seem to be a magical margin in the 5-12% range where the state mandated fees will not kill OLP. And, unfortunately, it also seems the greedy bastards can't understand the notion of a 'little bit of something is better than a big piece of nothin'.
As a poker player I still believe we need to separate OLP out from all the other casino games (craps, BJ,
roulette,
slots etc) and perhaps align the game with Horse Racing, where those margins are not prohibitive. We (IMHO) should also be resisting getting lumped in with Lotto's.
Perhaps we should be thinking about 'renting' a seat (or seats) at online poker tables. Any state funds would then be derived from the rental fees. For the state it would need to provide player protections.
Personally, and probably because I live close enough to many casino's, I would think a live registration (for age verification) would solve the age thing. It could also be the sole way to deposit and withdraw, which might go far to curb problem gambling addictions.