The bill aiming to legalize online poker in California in 2015 is officially at the table. The legislation was introduced on Monday in Sacramento.
The bill would give licenses to tribes and card rooms located within the Golden State, in addition to their technology partners and affiliates that can or will not be based in California.
It was introduced by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Glendale).
“The established order is a lost opportunity,” Gatto said in an announcement on Tuesday. “California could receive significant revenue for merely regulating and legitimizing an industry that Californians already take part in but send their dollars overseas.”
According to Gatto’s office, 2.5 million people regularly play online poker in California.
The bill is dubbed the “Internet Poker Consumer Protection Act of 2015” and would establish a framework to authorize intrastate Internet poker for those phsyically within California’s borders. Only poker can be authorized, and licenses can be awarded for 10 years.
If the bill becomes law, regulations for online poker can be adopted within 180 days.
The current language within the bill seems to exclude a return of PokerStars into the California market, but that isn’t certain yet. Revisions would definitely be made within the coming months.
California has tried numerous times up to now to legalize online poker, but other lawmakers haven’t been successful. In keeping with Gatto’s office, “AB 9 isn't like previous proposals, in that it endeavors to deal with both the external criticisms of the industry, and expand the pie to procure accord amongst competing gaming interests.” Could a compromise finally was brokered?
Here’s some bad news for poker players:
This bill will require a registered player account to be established in person, and would also require that specified deposits into and withdrawals out of these accounts be made in person. With the intention to satisfy those in-person requirements, the bill would authorize an authorized operator to go into into an agreement for the operation of 1 or more satellite service centers, which might be authorized to behave on behalf of, or in coordination with, the licensed operator in finishing up those in-person requirements.
Requiring that registration be done in-person generally is a massive roadblock for the industry. The logic behind it's to forestall underage play and to assist brick-and-mortar traffic as well.
“California has led the sector in computer and internet innovation, and there's no good it is because we can’t continue to steer with a wise online poker framework,” Gallo added.
“AB 9 borrows from time tested business practices a good way to improve our government finances and keep our money in our home state.”
Read More... [Source: CardPlayer Poker News]
No comments:
Post a Comment