"When I read the California Tribal Business Alliance's recent commentary on Internet poker, I was reminded of a quote attributed to the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan: "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts."

CTBA's opinions are simply not supported by facts. The alliance distorts the truth when it comes to Internet poker.

Here are the facts. California is struggling with soaring deficits, and it is fiscally prudent to look at all options to bring in new revenue. Much like the gaming compacts that add millions of dollars to the state's general fund, a legal, regulated and taxed intrastate Internet poker system would represent a new revenue stream legislators could count on annually.

No one knows the exact amount of revenue the state might receive from intrastate Internet poker, but we know a million Californians a week are playing poker on illegal Web sites housed offshore. Those games have no regulation and no consumer protections, and there's no revenue going to the state.

CTBA wrongly contends that legalizing online poker in California would violate the tribal gambling compacts the state already has with California tribes. Morongo attorney George Forman, who has been involved in tribal issues for the last 40 years, clearly rebutted that contention at the Legislature's Feb. 9 informational hearing on Internet poker."

Get the Story:
Robert Martin: Indian gambling pact doesn't ban Net poker in state (The Sacramento Bee 2/28)

Earlier Story:
Paskenta Chair: Internet poker breaks tribal compact (2/16)