
California State Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, whose brand new online poker bill is far more comprehensive than past drafts, would welcome racetracks and PokerStars into the Golden State video gaming market too.
A California that is new online bill, sponsored by State Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), has become on the table to oppose the bill introduced by fellow State Assemblyman Mike Gatto in December.
The Sawyer-Jones bill, AB 167, seeks to determine ‘a proper regulatory structure in place that provides safe and compliant internet poker access,’ the assemblyman announced yesterday.
So how do the two bills that are new? And more to the point, so how exactly does the new Jones-Sawyer bill compare with his past bill, AB2291, which foundered on the rocks of final year’s legislative session?
No Bad Actors
Jones-Sawyer said at the end of the 2014 session that a new, revised bill would have been 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 major schism between those who wanted PokerStars in industry and the ones whom didn’t.
As expected, AB 167 seems to have removed those bad actor provisions, apparently clearing the way for PokerStars to enter a regulated California market. Those precluded from applying for a internet poker license, states the bill, include:
‘The person [who] has contemptuously defied a legislative investigative body, or other official investigative human anatomy of a state or for the usa or a foreign jurisdiction, when that body is engaged in the investigation of crimes relating to poker, official corruption associated to poker activities, or unlawful profiteering activity or organized crime, as defined in area l 86.2 of this Penal Code.’
The bill goes on to clarify a key position that could straight affect PokerStars possible entry into the Golden State market, given its previously vilified owners vs. its brand new, ‘clean slate’ ones.
‘ The individual [who] has been 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 outstanding DOJ indictments, 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 final year’s bill from Jones-Sawyer, which proposed to exclude ‘any brand name or business name, including any brand that is derivative with the exact same or similar wording, or any trade or solution mark, pc software, technology, operational 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 transaction linked to such wager from any person in the United States on any type of Web gaming after December 31, 2006.’
If Jones-Sawyer thinks his bill will sail through with the backing of the stakeholders, however, he has another think coming, as the anti-PokerStars coalition that is tribal no time in denouncing this language.
‘There is a lot for tribes to dislike about that bill,’ said Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro. ‘Our company is disappointed that the bill disregards important principles from the broad coalition of respected tribes and card spaces 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 news that is major 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 with other states, expressly forbidden in preceding draft bills, appears to be on the menu this right time, and there’s also a suggestion that players on unlicensed sites could be prosecuted.
The license fee would cost $10 million, with a tax-rate set at 8.5 percent of gross gaming revenue. As soon as language has been agreed upon, the bill shall require two-thirds of this vote to pass.
New Bill Would Decriminalize Fantasy Sports in Washington
State Senator Pam Roach introduced a bill that would legalize fantasy activities games 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 even further than numerous realize: Washington additionally considers sports that are fantasy be a form of gambling, and thus players who spend money on their online fantasy sports leagues are technically breaking the law, and could even be charged with a felony under the same rules that criminalize online poker and casino games.
That’s something which many officials that are local prefer to be changed.
With an estimated 500,000 residents in the state fantasy that is playing games, State Senator Pam Roach (R-31st District) says it’s time to reclassify the contests being a game of skill rather than as luck-based gambling.
‘Our state views dream football being a game of chance a felony criminal activity,’ Roach said. ‘Congress has long considered fantasy soccer become a game title of skill. My bill shall change the state’s definition.’
Washington Residents Restricted from Fantasy Sports Sites
Right now, numerous major fantasy that is online outlets block Washington residents from participating on their sites, including top daily fantasy sites like FanDuel and DraftKings.
Conventional season leagues that are long web sites like ESPN.com are often available to Washington residents, but they are typically ineligible to win prizes.
The situation is that many states see dream recreations as a game title of skill.
But the Washington State Gambling Commission still sees luck being a big enough factor to classify it as gambling under current state laws.
‘There’s always the possibility the Seattle Seahawks will keep coming back from two touchdowns down with two minutes left,’ stated commission chairman Chris Stearns, referring to the Seahawks’ improbable comeback into the NFC Championship game last week-end. ‘Whereas in most states, the fact that you have invested all of this time poring over stats and making your own spreadsheets, that’s the skill part, and that weighs most greatly.’
Sports Betting Would Remain Prohibited
Underneath the proposed law, there would nevertheless be a prohibition on placing bets on the outcome of real life events that are sporting.
Nevertheless, both day-to-day and fantasy that is season-long will be expressly appropriate, even for real cash play.
The bill appears to have better odds than a similar bill that would decriminalize and regulate online poker; the fantasy sports bill has bi-partisan support and has now picked up lots of sponsors on both edges of the aisle.
Companion bills have now been introduced in both the homely House of Representatives and hawaii Senate.
The Fantasy supports the legalization effort Sports Trade Association, an industry group based away from Chicago.
According to 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 is able to play the array that is full of sports contests offered in 45 other states and become able to win prizes in free contests offered by major media businesses,’ said association president Peter Schoenke in a statement.
Washington is one of five states in which residents are typically obstructed from playing on daily fantasy sports sites.
Once we recently reported, energy is increasing in many of these states to legalize such games: recently, a Montana lawmaker introduced a bill that would allow residents to take part in contests where the entry cost ended up being $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 linked to 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 very costly to taxpayers to be permitted.
In a statement, Walker stated that the continuing state has been liable for up to $100 million to your Potawatomi tribe, which owns a casino in ladbrokes casino logo Milwaukee, as a result of agreements between your tribe and the state.
Under the compact that governs the agreement between Wisconsin and the Potawatomi tribe, their state is accountable for reimbursing the tribe for any revenue lost with other casinos that available in hawaii.
‘After a review that is comprehensive of 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 cost that is current taxpayers of approving the proposed casino task is as much as $100 million therefore 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 a joint venture between the Menominee Tribe and Hard Rock, which will have been accountable for operating the casino. The task ended up being approved in 2013 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, nonetheless it still needed approval through the governor of Wisconsin before it could get forward.
Casino Supporters See Politics Behind Decision
The Menominee Tribe saw other motivations behind his decision while Walker said the rejection was a way to protect residents of the state from a financial obligation.
‘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 declaration.
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’re in opposition to casino gambling. One prominent Iowa conservative, Tom Coates, recently penned a page to Walker urging him to reject the casino. That letter ended up being also finalized by 600 caucus that is potential from Iowa.
Regardless of motivation behind Walker’s decision, many locals in Kenosha had been disappointed in the decision.
‘ There were people ready to go to work down here, and that is maybe not planning to take place now,’ Kenosha Mayor Keith Bosman told WTMJ.
With Kenosha Out of the real Way, Beloit Hopes for Federal Attention
It’s feasible that Kenosha’s loss could be Beloit’s gain. Supporters of a Ho-Chunk Nation casino in the town hope that the rejection associated with Menominee casino could suggest that their project will now pass through federal review more quickly.
The city and the tribe experienced a preliminary deal in place since 2012, but officials say these were told that the Bureau of Indian Affairs were delaying a determination in part because of the Kenosha proposal. The Ho-Chunk were publicly in opposition to the Kenosha project.
Regardless of the rejection, but, the Menominee say they shall soldier on.
‘We must remember most of the Menominee Nation has overcome much more than 10,000 years,’ the tribe said in a declaration. ‘ We are going to continue steadily to thrive as a Nation and will continue to be partners that are honorable Indian Tribes in Wisconsin and around the Nation.’