California Internet poker hearing

[vinism]

I've been watching the California Senate Governmental Organization Committee informational hearing on Internet Poker today, and I can definitively report that nothing substantive -- legislatively speaking -- has happened so far, and that I don't expect anything substantive to happen in the final three hours of the hearing (they're on a break after hearing 3 hours of testimony).

The purpose of this meeting was to gather information, data and intelligence regarding online poker, so they could use it create some sort of intellectual framework in which to view it. And that is exactly what's happened so far. We've had 8 or 9 highly respected online gaming experts testify before the committee so far. And they've offered some interesting information and viewpoints regarding Internet poker and regulating Internet poker. Tomorrow (Wednesday), I'll publish an analysis of today's proceedings for everyone to read.

OK, the hearing is about to start again. Have to run (the things I do for the GPWA )

[vinism]

If you want to watch the rest of the hearing, here's the link:

http://www.calchannel.com/channel/live/2

[Anthony]

Thank you Vin, keep up the good work.

[vinism]

If you're up for 1,500 words of analysis, here's a link to the piece I just finished...

http://www.gpwa.org/article.asp?id=192516

[Anthony]

Great article Vin.

...The Native American tribes have a lot of money to spend on political campaigns. So legislators will think twice before crossing them. Combine that with the potential legal challenges online poker could present and you get an environment in which it could be tough to get votes for an online poker measure.

My concern is the tribes dictating state policy. The state of California desperately needs revenue, poker can deliver some much needed funds.

[giggles7p]

Thank you for your hard work and wonderful writing.

Cheers
Pat

[Anthony]

That is why we keep Vin around.

[nitro]

"Online poker might be coming to California. But it's not going to get there without a fight. And this fight will be unlike any the industry has ever seen before. "

"California can have a significant license fee, one larger than Italy," Barry added. "(You) can easily charge single digit millions and a have a higher surcharge than France -- around 5 to 7 percent -- because the operators want access to the U.S. market"

And you can easily charge twice that amount later on because california needs money and the operators want to stay there and have yet to find out that it is impossible to do lobbying in 126 countries or so therefore keep on fighting...

[cameronlove4]

If you're up for 1,500 words of analysis, here's a link to the piece I just finished...

http://www.gpwa.org/article.asp?id=192516

That is a great article Vin.

Here are some more info to add to your information:

The concerned hearing by the state senate committee is to examine the public policy and fiscal implications of intrastate Internet poker.This isn't necessarily the good news it would seem for the poker community. The proposal for Internet poker in California is being pushed by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and Commerce Casino, which want to create a monopoly of Internet poker within the state to be controlled by the Indian tribes.
The Poker Players Alliance hopes to use the hearing to show California legislators that there are better ways for the state to make money from the game.