California SB40 Legalizing Online Poker

The California State Senator who is backing a bill that will legalize online poker sites in california is urging state politicians to pass it before the end of the year.

Sen. Lou Correa (D-Orange County) spoke this week before a Senate Committee on government organization and told the committee that the passage of the bill could allow the state to generate as much as $250 million in revenues this year, perhaps allowing the state to prevent “deeper cuts to education and other public services”.

Correa indicated he was concerned that if the state delays in passing the bill, pending federal legislation will overrun the state’s bill and prevent the state from the full financial benefits that Correa’s bill brings.

Correa’s SB40 is a poker-only bill and puts great emphasis on making sure that players at online casinos are safe and that their money remains safe as well.

Jim Wise, a federal advocate and congressional expert, told the committee that the chance of federal regulation passing was “quite high, due to attractive potential revenues and minimal political opposition.”