California legislative committee moves forward with intra-state poker bill

[The Buzz]

The California legislature moved one step closer to studying the state's ability to create a regulatory structure for intrastate Internet poker within the state earlier this week.

As reported by CardPlayer, a bill that would commission a study was unanamously approved in subcommittee hearings and will move to Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Democrat Assemblyman Lloyd Levine is the bill’s author. The hearing for the AGOC took place yesterday and featured testimony from bill proponents Poker Voters of America President Jim Tabilio and Rod Blonien, who represented the card rooms of Commerce Club, Hollywood Park, the Lucky Derby, the Lucky Lady, Garden City and Lucky Chances.

“Many of the clubs that I mentioned are maxed out on Friday and Saturday nights. We have more players than we have seats available,” Blonien said. “Many of those people go home and play online.”

Blonien went on to describe the online poker industry as an unregulated and dangerous place for American consumers.

“There’s no place that a law abiding Californian can go (online) and play a level game,” he said. “What Californians really need is a government regulated and fair website where they could go to play Internet poker.”

Full story here ... http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news...-moves-forward

[The Buzz]

Tony Cabot, a Las Vegas attorney and Internet gambling expert, says that the California bill, if passed, would help the Las Vegas economy, as Internet gamblers would "hone their skills" online and make more pilgrimages to Vegas.

However, the bills are not receiving any political backing from Vegas casinos.

Nor is there any movement afoot to propose a similar study bill or legalization bill in Nevada.

Internet gambling expert and Las Vegas attorney Tony Cabot says Nevada lacks the “political courage” to propose online casinos and the population base to make the initial investment worthwhile. But Nevada’s casino industry can afford to sit on the sidelines. No matter which state moves first, Nevada casinos will end up the biggest beneficiaries as gamblers who hone their skills online seek out live casino experiences, Cabot said.

The potential upside of legalizing online gambling for Nevada residents “is a small fraction of what it is in other major states like California,” with one of the world’s largest economies, he said.

Other states can more easily get in the game after the first state jumps the hurdle. As an example, other states legalized a form of Internet gambling called “advance deposit wagering” on horse races after Oregon initiated the practice, Cabot said.

Full story here ... http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008...ners-want-out/ ... it's the second of three briefs.

[The Buzz]

According to PokerPages.com, this bill has passed in the Assembly and is moving to the State Senate for consideration.

http://www.pokerpages.com/poker-news...nate-30829.htm

[wallstreeterww]

Finally saner heads are prevailing. Poker is more of a skill game than online gambling and its about time they get a regulated online poker industry in california going.