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An amendment proposed by Massachusetts legislator Daniel Winslow (R-Norfolk) that would begin the process of legalizing and regulating online poker in the state was able to make it into the final bill that passed the state legislature on Wednesday by a margin of 123 to 32.

While Winslow’s original proposal was to license up to five online poker rooms in the Commonwealth, the end product that made it into the bill will see the Gaming Commission, that will be set-up should the bill make it through the State Senate and then be signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick, “analyze and develop model legislation for Internet Poker” according to the bostonherald.com.

Over 150 amendments were voted on during the debate held in the state legislature and very few were able to make into the final bill that would license three mega-casinos in the state as well as a single slots parlor. This is a terrific sign for online poker proponents as the Winslow amendment was one of a scant few to gain enough traction to be included –even if it was heavily modified.

The bill’s next stop is in the State Senate where further amendments could be added (if they are the bill would then head back to the legislature to be voted on once again in its new form) and once both houses pass the same legislation the final stop is the desk of Deval Patrick. In 2010 the pro-gaming governor vetoed a bill that would have created two mega-casino licenses in Massachusetts. Patrick cited the exclusive slot licenses that would be granted to existing racetracks in Massachusetts as his reason for pulling out the veto pen.

This time around, with just a single slot parlor license, and no exclusivity clause, it’s likely Patrick will quickly sign the bill into law if it reaches his desk in its current form.