Legalized online gambling sought in Calif. bill [San Francisco Chronicle]


"...Ultimately, just a few websites are expected to go live. That's because of a proposed $30 million license fee - which would be credited against the 10 percent cut of gross revenue - and the expectation that consumers will flock to only about a half-dozen well-marketed sites.

The result is alliance building. Dozens of tribal casinos and cardrooms, including Pete's 881 Club, joined the California Online Poker Association, which recently started a free online poker site called Calshark.com as a way to work out the kinks and start building a brand.

Josh Rubinstein, senior vice president of development for the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in San Diego County, said the state's tracks and horse owners may team up on one website..."

"...Another major sticking point in the proposed legislation, especially for tribal casinos, is a provision that would allow the state to phase in other games besides poker after two years.

"For the tribes I represent, this is a nonstarter," said David Quintana, a lobbyist for the California Tribal Business Alliance. "You have a high likelihood it will have an impact on our brick-and-mortar facilities."..."

The AGA/Frank Fahrenkopf Jr. disagrees:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMFCeGpb0og&t=7m17s

I hope a California company like Zynga or Yahoo is able to find a pathway to effectively become a player in this market. $30 million would be nothing to them.

Think how little 300k from any of them to jump start a California PPA would be?

does anyone know how long it takes to get the bill on the agenda for the Senate Governmental Organization Committee. The next meeting is the 24th, but we are not there

any new news?

Yes ... we've been waiting for you to ask

please try and keep the discussion on the California legalization of online poker rather than trying to pick a fight with me

I refresh this every day to see if the bill ever makes the agenda:
http://sgov.senate.ca.gov/agenda

The May 8th agenda just went up starting at 2 bills. Notice how the Apr 24th one has 15 bills now. There is your sweat!

maybe someone should take a minute and a half with hold time to phone the office of someone in the committee or someone associated with the bill. maybe someone there could answer this question, and you'll know FOR SURE within, like, 5 mins tops.

i'm real far away and i don't know if 'long distance' means anything anymore, but, i still wouldn't wanna do it.

Do you recall how many the Apr 24th agenda went up with?

Apr 24th agenda went up with like 3-5.

ScreaminAsian, yea that sounds like a smarter idea, will try it next week.

I did e-mail my state assemblyman earlier, he didn't seem to know much but would 'keep my thoughts in mind'. But committee members should know more.

You should call them and pick up one of those checks they apparently -- at least based on your posts -- hand out like cash grants to anyone who supports them. Tell us how easy it was once you cash it.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/po...&author=wright
seems like the status changed but there's no info when you click on the link.

http://direct.pokerupdate.com/news/b...indian-tribes/

No idea how legit this source is and the article is almost a week old. If it's true then it looks like we'll be sweating this all summer

California offered piece of the action from Internet poker [latimes.com]

Casino operators lobby hard for legalization by the state. Co-sponsors of a state legalization bill hope it could raise hundreds of millions for the budget-battered state.

By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
May 14, 2012, 10:34 p.m.

"This is … a harsh slap in the face to California Indian tribes," said Leslie Lohse, chairwoman of the California Tribal Business Alliance, which consists of three tribes with casinos.

Lohse's group has donated $278,000 to Brown's effort to qualify a tax hike for the November ballot. A tax increase that closes the budget gap could reduce the need for Internet gambling proceeds.

Great interview with PPA's John Pappas and radio talk discussion on California internet poker.

http://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk...nline-gambling

cliffs on the interview? Don't have time atm to listen

also, while 2p2 was down i kinda forgot to follow the process of the bill, does anyone know if it made it to the last agenda hearing for the committee? Or what exactly is the status now or any specific dates we are looking forward to.

it tilts me that "A.B. No. 1776 Fong. State government: Pacific leatherback sea turtle" is on the next agenda, but our bill isnt.

Anytime now! Tired of sitting on the side lines, put me in the game coach.

I heard a rumor that if elected as the official state marine reptile, the turtles will support the online poker bill.

confirmed

http://sgov.senate.ca.gov/agenda
June 12th
9:30 a.m. - John L. Burton Hearing Room (4203)
MEASURES TO BE HEARD IN ORDER OF AUTHOR SIGN-IN
S.B. No. 1463 Wright. Internet gambling. (Urgency)

URGENCY!!!

BTW, I hope you chumps are voting in the CA primaries.
If not, at least vote in the general elections.
If you don't know how to register just google your county website.
If you still can't figure it out, PM me.

Awesome, one week away from a hearing. Gonna update and boost the SB1463 action plan thread if anyone wants to contact the members of this committee.