California Poker Bill Hearing

Like many other states, California lawmakers continue to debate the possibility of allowing poker in the state. A bill on the table would allow legal poker in some forms in some casinos in the state.

That bill will be discussed during a June 29 hearing in Sacramento. The California State Governmental Organization Committee set the hearing that will legalize intrastate online poker. If passed, California would be the first state to allow legal internet poker.

While most Indian casinos have expressed support for legal online poker, this week the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the group that operates the Morongo Casino Resort in Southern California, expressed opposition to the measure the way it is currently drafted. Many believe the Indian tribes would like to control more of the internet poker business should it become legal in the state.

The spokesperson for the Morongo Band of Indians said that the bill currently doesn’t restrict or disallow offshore companies (many of which currently allow U.S. players to play on their sites) from bidding for the licenses that will allow companies to run the Online Casinos. The state will issue a limited number of licenses.

“We’ve always supported the concept of intrastate poker in California because of consumer protections, revenue to the state and the fact it would bring the game out of the shadows,” Patrick Dorinson said. “But we cannot support the bill in its present form.”