California committee takes up Internet poker issue


The California Senate Governmental Organization Committee held a hearing on Tuesday to examine Internet poker.

The Morongo Band of Mission Indians wants a consortium of tribes and non-Indian card clubs to be able to offer Internet poker games. The tribe says the state is losing out on millions of dollars in revenues from citizens who are already online.

But some tribes oppose the idea. Nine of them wrote a letter to the committee and said Internet poker could violate existing Class III gaming compacts.

Federal law bans Internet gaming but contains exceptions for wagering licensed by states or gaming compacts.

Get the Story:
An Inland tribe pitches an "Internet poker consortium" that others oppose (The Riverside Press-Enterprise 2/10)
High stakes for state in Internet poker fight (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 2/10)
Legalizing online poker debated in California Senate hearing (The Sacramento Bee 2/10)
Prediction: Internet poker will face legal challenges (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 2/9)
Senate Hearing: California Tribes Strongly Oppose Internet Poker (Compatible Poker 2/9)
State lawmakers explore legalizing online poker (The Ventura County Star 2/9)
Nine tribes say 'no' to Internet poker (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 2/8)