As we mentioned just two days ago, the State Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization in California hosted a meeting on Wednesday to discuss online poker regulation in the state. The hearing, The Future Public Policy and Fiscal Implications of Authorizing iPoker Gaming in California had 33 witnesses scheduled to give testimony on several subjects. Among the subjects discussed during the meeting included bad actor clause and the preparedness of the state to offer online poker gaming.
The witnesses included several interested parties such as gaming regulators, tribal government leaders, and law enforcement and card rooms. A main focus of the hearing was the bad actor clause. The hearing was not created to discuss the details of the two bills that have been introduced into legislation in the state but the bad actor clause was something that has been a hot topic in the state.
A group of tribes has been working together to try and ensure that a bad actor clause is included in the legislation for iGaming in the state. The clause would not allow companies who operated in the state after December 31st of 2006 when the UIGEA was passed to gain a license to operate in new online poker marketplace.
However, another group, which includes the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and local card rooms, are opposed of such a clause. So much so that the Tribe, card rooms and The Rational Group, sent out a press release saying that PokerStars and the gaming groups will be working together once the online poker options are available in the state with PokerStars providing the software and other services.
The hearing also covered how well the state was prepared to handle online poker and gaming activities. The Chairman of the California Gambling Control Commission, Richard Lopes, stated during the hearing that the Commission is prepared to regulate the option. Lopes did ask for ample time to prepare for online poker, but he also assured the group that the Commission was ready to put regulations in place for online poker gaming. He further stated that regulations could be created in a timely fashion as the Commission had already reviewed iGaming regulations put in place by other states.
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