Card games yield $850,000 for state in the past two months

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Money is pouring into the state's coffers following the legalization of card games at casinos.<br/><br/>Oklahoma has collected more than $850,000 in player fees in the past two

Monday, May 9th 2005, 6:32 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Money is pouring into the state's coffers following the legalization of card games at casinos.

Oklahoma has collected more than $850,000 in player fees in the past two months, and that's only the beginning.

State Finance Director Scott Meacham believes the state's share will exceed $70-million per year as card games expand and gaming tribes install lucrative electronic machines that are now legal.

The state gets anywhere from five to 50 cents for each poker player, depending on what fees casinos are charging. It also gets ten percent of whatever casinos win from blackjack players.

All of the money is earmarked for education.