LA Times – In legislative proceedings, the most important words in a debate often are the ones left unmentioned. At a hearing held by a California state assembly committee last month about legalizing online poker, the unspoken term was PokerStars. No hearing witnesses wanted to say outright that they were talking about PokerStars. It’s the largest online poker company in the world, which wants in on the riches to be had if California legalizes Internet card play, but it also has faced federal charges of money laundering and fraud. So the April 23 discussion before the Governmental Organization Committee was…

iGaming Business – Online poker would generate $800 million (€587 million) and create more than 2,000 jobs for the Californian economy by the end of the decade, according to a new report released by Capitol Matrix Consulting. The study found legalising Internet poker in California would result in $1.91 billion in economic output, $845 million in additional state revenue, and 2,657 jobs over the first five years. As reported by iGaming Business, two new bills seeking to regulate online poker in the US state have recently been introduced in an effort to make California only the third state in the…

Online Poker Report – Unbeknownst to most people outside of the state legislature, California’s online poker bills are up against a deadline coming at the end of this month. The time limit is legitimate, and requires that all bills must pass their “house of origin” by May 30, according to the California legislative calendar and the California legislature’s joint rules (page 39 has the pertinent information). The deadline was first brought to attention by Washington Internet Poker Initiative founder and OnlinePokerReport.com contributor Curtis Woodard, who pointed out several upcoming deadlines. The legislative calendar reads, “May 30 Last day to pass…

Card Player – Online poker players, especially those in California, have a new enemy. Willie Brown, the former mayor of San Francisco (1996-2004) and previously a California legislator, said last week that he is joining billionaire Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson in the latter’s quest to stop online gaming in the United States, the Los Angeles Times reported. Brown’s commitment to the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling is perplexing because of Brown’s previous work to support online poker legalization in the Golden State. Brown said he is the new national co-chair and California chair of Adelson’s coalition. “There are…

Cards Chat – For many years, industry analysts pointed to California as being the gateway state for online poker to become legalized. After all, if the most populous state could pull it off, many believe that would lead to a domino effect for other states to get on board. But California’s Native American tribes who operate a monopoly for casinos have long opposed legalizing online gaming and online poker. Now, in a reversal of that long-held stance, the seven most influential tribes’ leaders have testified that they are ready to make it happen, assuming certain stipulations be met. For many…

Online Poker Report – The public was given a bit of insight into the mechanics bringing regulated online poker to California yesterday via an informational hearing on the subject in front of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization. Video of the meeting can be viewed and downloaded from the CalChannel archives (direct link to video file here). An agenda of the meeting listing all of the speakers is available here. Much of the hearing, chaired by California Assemblymember Dr. Isadore Hall III, covered territory quite familiar for someone who follows the online poker industry. But among the dry recitations were…