New Online Poker Companion Bills Emerge in California: SB 1366 and AB 2291
New online poker companion bills to legalize online poker in the state of California have been introduced. California represents the world’s 8th largest economy and is widely considered the biggest prize in a state-by-state real money Web gambling model that so far only includes New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware.
California Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, and Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer Sr., D-Los Angeles, introduced legislation Friday that would authorize online poker in the state and permit Indian tribes with gambling rights to obtain such licenses. To date, the Tribes have opposed – and prevented the passage of – previous measures they deemed as non-inclusive.
SB 1366 and AB 2291 would permit the state of California to issue 10-year licenses to operators of intrastate online poker websites as early as next year (2015).
A past co-sponsor of bills to legalize online poker in California, state Sen. Roderick D. Wright, was convicted of perjury and voter fraud late last month and could serve up to eight years prison time.
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
