Senate Hears Debate on California Poker Bill
Written by Renee K | Thursday, February 11th, 2010
Yesterday, a special legislative committee heard a debate regarding a new law that will allow Californians to legally wager at an intrastate poker site. The law calls for the poker network to be run by Californian tribes and poker rooms, and will be limited to Californian residents only.
It is estimated that up to one million Californians spend hundreds of millions of dollars on offshore gaming each year.
The hearing attracted a large number of interested groups on both sides of the argument.
Representing the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, a tribe that is for the bill, Robert Martin told the hearing that he believes that the games should be controlled by the tribes and the state, and taxed accordingly.
“Poker is lawful in California for Californians,” said Morongo’s legal counsel, George Forman. He also noted that since poker was a ‘round game’ that is not banked, it falls outside the bounds of Indian gaming contracts.
“We urge you to regulate intrastate internet poker and tax it as well,” he said to the senate hearing.
However, as expected, another tribe resisted this argument and said: “We simply do not agree with the consequences of authorizing intrastate internet poker.”
The majority of California’s tribes are threatening to withhold up to $42 million in payment from annual casino revenues should the state go ahead and legalize poker.
A number of other poker proponents gave their opinion at the hearing, including Leo Chu, owner of the Hollywood Park casino in California who said that the tribes and poker clubs are in a strong position to create a legal platform and tap into the millions that the state is losing each year in uncollected taxes.
“I believe the budget would double or triple if we make this legitimate,” said Chu.
Another proponent, Keith Sharp, speaking for Hawaiian Gardens and Normandie Club, said: “A licensed online poker network offers the best protection to the young. In poker vernacular, the card rooms would be all-in, and it makes sense in doing so with California partners you know well to ensure that public safety and gaming integrity is preserved”.
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· Written by Renee K · Filed Under Poker News · Comments Off
