August 24, 2009
Just to be clear … even with tribal casinos ready to get in on the action, California’s efforts to create it’s own little bubble of online poker freedom — the anti-Kentucky if you will — are done … at least for now.
According to Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (who has the power to decide which bills get considered) last week:
With the state hurting for cash — and Democrats desperate for revenues to soften cuts to social service programs and schools — Steinberg said he essentially has one thing to say to proponents of online poker: Show me the money.
“I think it is a legitimate idea for consideration,” Steinberg said today in a press conference. “I only have one question when I hear a proposal like that: how much money for the state General Fund? It’s all I want to know. You know, is it two, three hundred million dollars? If it is, I’d consider it. But I think it’s going to take more than four weeks to analyze that kind of proposal and the potential economic benefits.”
Fair enough … maybe next time (two years from now) … maybe not.
August 13, 2009
The issue of legalizing intrastate online poker in California seemed like a longshot for quite awhile, as AB 2026 was introduced in February of 2008 and not much has happened since. Though there is no question that Cali could use some extra revenue, the tribal casinos seemed to be the biggest barrier to moving this initiative forward. No more! Morongo recently took the initiative to reach out to legislators and even promised to advance 1/2 of the $10 million it would take to establish the online poker network.
According to the Sacramento Bee:
A proposal being circulated among gambling interests calls for a management structure with two representatives from card clubs and two from tribes, including a permanent representative from the Morongo band.
The plan was discussed at a recent gathering of the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations. The group includes Morongo and powerful casino tribes including the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs and the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians in Temecula.
Morongo also circulated an e-mail inviting dozens of tribes for a conference call in which Forman and tribal councilman Damon Sandoval were to outline the “Morongo Initiative – Tribal Intrastate Poker Consortium.”
