(RALEIGH) -- Republican legislative leaders are getting more information about proposals to legalize some form of video poker. House Speaker Thom Tillis said members of a Republican policy subcommittee are meeting privately with supporters and opponents of video gaming in order to learn more about the issue.

Tillis defended the closed-door meeting because he said those involved may feel more comfortable discussing the matter privately.  "I'm proud of the process that we're going through.  I'm sure that you all would like to draw the line all the way up to and including those phone conversations I have in my Cornelius office, but this is where the line is drawn and I think it's perfectly within the rules and perfectly within the law," said Tillis.

Representatives from the gaming industry say legalizing video poker and heavily taxing revenues could bring in more than $500 million annually.