Hearing Date Set for California Online Poker

The California State Senate has set a date of June 29^th for a hearing on proposed legislation that would create online poker rooms specifically for California residents. The hearing follows the introduction of a bill in May to the Senate which would unambiguously legalize online poker in the state of California.

The bill has been moving quickly through the State Senate, in large part because of the financial pressures faced by the state of California. Given the state’s $19 billion budget deficit, any bill that might result in new revenue for the state – as online poker would be expected to do – is likely to be given special attention. With that in mind, the proposed legislation (Senate Bill 1845) will receive priority status.

However, the bill is not without opposition, even among those who support the expansion of online gambling in California. The Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations (TASIN), an intergovernmental association that represents 11 Indian tribes recognized by the federal government, has attacked the bill as being overbroad and bad for California. These tribes include the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, who operate the Morongo Casino and Resort in California. This rebuke was especially surprising given the Morongo tribe’s previous support for online gambling.

According to spokesperson Patrick Dorinson, the Morongo tribe has “always supported the concept of intrastate poker in California because of consumer protections, revenue to the state and the fact that it would bring the game out of the shadows,” but opposes the current bill because it would give offshore poker operators the opportunity to provide online poker to California residents. Instead, says Dorinson, the Morongo tribe believes that intrastate online poker “should be a game for Californians, run by Californians.” This would, they say, keep more of the gambling revenue in the state of California.

California is not the only state looking to legalize intrastate online poker, as New Jersey has also looked to create an online poker environment for their residents. However, this proposal has been met with opposition from Atlantic City casinos, who believe the move would reduce the appeal of Atlantic City as a destination resort.