
California State Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, whose new online poker bill is far more inclusive than previous drafts, would welcome racetracks and PokerStars into the Golden State gaming market too.
A California that is new online bill, sponsored by State Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), happens to be on the table to oppose the bill introduced by fellow State Assemblyman Mike Gatto in December.
The Sawyer-Jones bill, AB 167, seeks to establish ‘a proper structure that is regulatory place that provides safe and compliant internet poker access,’ the assemblyman announced yesterday.
So how do the two new bills compare? And much more to the level, how can the new Jones-Sawyer bill compare with his previous bill, AB2291, which foundered regarding the rocks of last year’s legislative session?
No Bad Actors
Jones-Sawyer said at the end of the 2014 session that a new, revised bill could be a high priority for 2015, and indicated that this time, the ‘bad actor’ language will be softened. The non-severable actor that is bad of AB229 shown to become a sticking point for stakeholders, and caused a significant schism between those who wanted PokerStars in the marketplace and those who didn’t.
As expected, AB 167 seems to own removed those bad actor conditions, apparently clearing the means for PokerStars to enter a regulated Ca market. Those precluded from applying for a online poker license, states the bill, consist of:
‘The person [who] has contemptuously defied an investigative that is legislative, or other formal investigative human anatomy of a state or associated with united states of america or an international jurisdiction, when that body is engaged within the investigation of crimes relating to poker, official corruption associated to poker activities, or criminal profiteering activity or organized crime, as defined in Section l 86.2 of the Penal Code.’
The bill continues to clarify a position that is key could directly affect PokerStars potential entry into the Golden State market, given its previously vilified owners vs. its brand new, ‘clean slate’ ones.
‘ The person [who] is convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction of the felony consisting of either having accepted a bet over the Internet in breach of United States or California law, or having aided or abetted that unlawful activity.’
Note the use of this word ‘person,’ which suggests that PokerStars, by divesting itself of its previous owners, against whom there were DOJ that is outstanding, would have the ability to be involved in the California on line market unscathed.
Anti-PokerStars Coalition Denounces Language
The language is in sharp contrast with that of last year’s bill from Jones-Sawyer, which proposed to exclude ‘any brand name or company name, including any brand that is derivative with the exact same or similar wording, or any trade or solution mark, software, technology, functional system, customer information, or other data acquired, derived, or developed directly or indirectly from any operation that has accepted a wager or engaged in a financial deal linked to such wager from any individual in america on any kind of Web gaming after December 31, 2006.’
If Jones-Sawyer believes his bill will sail through because of the backing for the stakeholders, however, he has another think coming, as the anti-PokerStars coalition that is tribal no time in denouncing this language.
‘There is significantly for tribes to dislike about that bill,’ said Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro. ‘We are disappointed that the bill disregards important principles from a broad coalition of respected tribes and card rooms that help avoid corporations and entities that previously violated law that is federal profiting from tainted software, brands, and databases derived from illegal activity.’
Photo Finish for Racetracks and Liquidity
Other major news for AB 167 may be the inclusion of California racetracks in a post-regulation landscape, which many felt was indeed unjustly ignored by past bills. The sharing of liquidity along with other states, expressly forbidden in preceding draft bills, appears to be on the menu this time, and there is additionally a suggestion that players on unlicensed sites could be prosecuted.
The permit fee would cost $10 million, with a tax-rate set at 8.5 percent of gross gaming revenue. Once language has been agreed upon, the bill will require two-thirds associated with the vote to pass.
New Bill Would Decriminalize Fantasy Sports in Washington
State Senator Pam Roach introduced a bill that could legalize sports that are fantasy in the state of Washington. (Image: PamRoach.com)
The state of Washington is understood for having a few of the harshest online gambling laws in the United States.
But these laws go further than many realize: Washington also considers sports that are fantasy be a form of gambling, and therefore players who spend money on their online fantasy sports leagues are theoretically breaking the law, and could even be charged having a felony beneath the exact same laws that criminalize online poker and casino games.
That’s something which many local officials would want to be changed.
With an estimated 500,000 residents in the state playing fantasy sports games, State Senator Pam Roach (R-31st ladbrokes casino withdrawals District) says it’s time and energy to reclassify the contests as being a game of skill instead than as luck-based gambling.
‘Our state sees fantasy football being a game of chance a felony crime,’ Roach said. ‘Congress has long considered fantasy soccer to be a game of ability. My bill shall replace the state’s definition.’
Washington Residents Restricted from Fantasy Sports Sites
Right now, numerous major online fantasy sports outlets block Washington residents from participating on their sites, including top day-to-day dream sites like FanDuel and DraftKings.
Traditional season leagues that are long internet sites like ESPN.com are frequently open to Washington residents, but they are typically ineligible to win awards.
The problem is that most states see fantasy sports as a game of ability.
However the Washington State Gambling Commission nevertheless sees luck being a big factor that is enough classify it as gambling under present state laws.
‘There’s always the chance the Seattle Seahawks will come back from two touchdowns down with two minutes left,’ stated commission chairman Chris Stearns, referring to the Seahawks’ improbable comeback within the NFC Championship game weekend that is last. ‘Whereas in most states, the undeniable fact that you have invested all this time poring over stats and making your very own spreadsheets, that’s the skill part, and that weighs most greatly.’
Sports Betting Would Remain Prohibited
Under the proposed law, there would be a prohibition on placing bets on the result of real-world sporting events.
However, both daily and season-long fantasy recreations could be expressly legal, even for real money play.
The bill seemingly have better odds than a bill that is similar would decriminalize and regulate online poker; the dream activities bill has bi-partisan support and has acquired a number of sponsors on both sides of the aisle.
Companion bills have now been introduced in both the House of Representatives and their state Senate.
The legalization effort is supported by the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, an industry group based away from Chicago.
According towards the group, more than 41 million people in America and Canada play fantasy sports, and nearly half of them perform for real cash.
‘We think residents of Washington ought to be in a position to have fun with the array that is full of sports contests offered in 45 other states and start to become able to win prizes in free contests offered by major media companies,’ said association chairman Peter Schoenke in a statement.
Washington is one of five states in which residents are typically blocked from playing on day-to-day fantasy sports sites.
Once we recently reported, momentum is increasing in many of these states to legalize such games: recently, a Montana lawmaker introduced a bill that would enable residents to be involved in contests where the entry cost had been $100 or less.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Rejects Kenosha Casino Project
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has rejected a casino that is proposed Kenosha, with some saying the move may be regarding his presidential aspirations. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has put the kibosh on a proposed casino plan, saying that building the venue would simply be too costly to taxpayers to be allowed.
In a declaration, Walker stated that the continuing state might have been liable for up to $100 million to the Potawatomi tribe, which has a casino in Milwaukee, due to agreements between your tribe and their state.
Under the compact that governs the contract between Wisconsin as well as the Potawatomi tribe, hawaii is accountable for reimbursing the tribe for any revenue lost with other casinos that available in hawaii.
‘After a comprehensive review of the potential economic impact of the proposed Kenosha casino project, the risk to hawaii’s taxpayers is too great,’ Walker stated in a statement. ‘Due to the compacts negotiated by Governor Doyle, the current cost to taxpayers of approving the proposed casino task is up to $100 million while the long-term economic hit to the state budget would be a potential loss of vast sums of dollars.’
The casino that is new which would have price about $800 million to build, was to be described as a joint venture between the Menominee Tribe and complex Rock, which will have been in charge of operating the casino. The task was approved in 2013 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, however it still needed approval through the governor of Wisconsin before it could go forward.
Casino Supporters See Politics Behind Decision
While Walker said the rejection had been a method to protect residents of the state from a financial obligation, the Menominee Tribe saw other motivations behind his decision.
‘One tribe, the Forest County Potawatomi and one goal of Governor Walker, the presidency, has resulted in a ‘no’ for the people,’ the tribe said in a statement.
Many political observers believe that Walker could be arranging a run at the Republican nomination for the presidency in 2016. The Menominee statement suggested that Walker’s decision was made to placate conservatives who are opposed to casino gambling. One prominent Iowa conservative, Tom Coates, recently wrote a page to Walker urging him to reject the casino. That letter had been additionally signed by 600 caucus that is potential from Iowa.
Regardless of the motivation behind Walker’s decision, many locals in Kenosha were disappointed in the decision.
‘ There were people ready to down go to work here, and that is perhaps not planning to happen now,’ Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman told WTMJ.
With Kenosha Out of the real Way, Beloit Hopes for Federal Attention
It’s possible that Kenosha’s loss could be Beloit’s gain. Supporters of a Ho-Chunk Nation casino within the city hope that the rejection regarding the Menominee casino could mean that their task will now pass through federal review more quickly.
The city and the tribe have experienced a preliminary deal in place since 2012, but officials say they were told that the Bureau of Indian Affairs were delaying a choice in part because of the Kenosha proposal. The Ho-Chunk were publicly opposed to the Kenosha project.
Inspite of the rejection, nevertheless, the Menominee say they shall soldier on.
‘We must remember all the Menominee Nation has overcome in more than 10,000 years,’ the tribe said in a declaration. ‘ We are going to continue steadily to thrive as a Nation and will still be honorable partners for Indian Tribes in Wisconsin and around the country.’
