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For poker players living in the greater Los Angeles area, Commerce Casino is a regular destination to satisfy all of their poker playing needs. At virtually any time of the day, someone looking for some action can meander into their poker room and enjoy the day while possibly playing alongside some pseudo-celebrity. However, it is Commerce’s decision to venture into the political arena that has many poker pros on tilt.
Less than two weeks ago, the hierarchy of the Commerce Casino, Bicycle Casino, Hawaiian Gardens, and Hollywood Park threw their hats into the legislative ring and voiced their opposition to Congressman Barney Frank’s HR2267 which is seeking to legalize and regulate online gambling and online poker. Their controversial decision to take this stance against what is a cousin of their own industry is being seen as a selfish maneuver on their part.
Understandably, this stance has drawn the ire of many poker pros, many of whom flock to the Commerce for WPT events but now may be reconsidering doing so in the future. One of the more outspoken players, UB.com sponsored pro Annie Duke said,
“I and some other pros are boycotting them as well. I will give my business to a place that supports the players.”
One could assume that many others echo that sentiment as well as the Poker Players Alliance has already spoken out against the dissenting casinos.
So why the opposition to something that would be beneficial to the poker landscape? The answer seems quite obvious. Apparently, brick and mortar casinos feel that should online gambling become more accessible, that means fewer players will show up to their establishments.
When reached for comment, representatives for the land-based casinos were vague in their statement, replying that they are just looking to ensure that online casinos adhere to the same strict guidelines in terms of policy and hiring practices that they themselves follow. Hardly seems like a strong enough reason to potentially anger a large portion of their client base.
The attention being paid to Commerce and the negative publicity as a result is sure to pick up more steam as the legislation continues to push onward.
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