Monday, February 9, 2015

Sheldon Adelson Continues Push to Stop Online Gambling

National Journal - Congress Revives Sheldon Adelson-backed Plot to Kill Online Gambling

Is the billionaire casino magnate already exerting his influence over the new Congress?

BY DUSTIN VOLZ

House lawmakers Wednesday are reintroducing a bill that would effectively ban betting sites in the U.S.

The Restoration of America's Wire Act, spearheaded by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, would "restore" a decades-old federal ban on some gambling operations by extending it to include Internet gaming. Chaffetz, a Utah Republican, is introducing the bill with six GOP cosponsors and the backing of one Democrat, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. The three-page measure is the same as the one Chaffetz introduced last year.

An aide for Sen. Lindsey Graham confirmed that the South Carolina Republican also intends to reintroduce a version of the bill, though he said a timetable was unclear. The companion bills debuted last spring but never gained much traction.

The House reintroduction renews a long-standing fight between Internet gambling sites, brick-and-mortar casino owners, and family-values advocates.

Chaffetz told reporters Wednesday that online gambling presents a troubling family-values threat because of the ease with which players can sign up and start betting.

Read Full Article Here ->National Journal - Congress Revives Sheldon Adelson-backed Plot to Kill Online Gambling

California Online Poker

UT San Diego - CA to legalize online poker?

By Chris Nichols

 — Will 2015 be the year California legalizes online poker?
Two lawmakers at the state Capitol are betting big that it will be. 
But their competing bills, introduced early this session, show there’s still strong disagreement about which industry players should control and benefit from the popular, and lucrative, business.
Candidates include card clubs, Indian tribes, race tracks and out-of-state gaming companies. 
Lawmakers and these groups have failed for nearly a decade to craft rules for who should control state-regulated poker sites and how much they should pay to do so. During this time, thousands of California poker players have migrated to playing online through unauthorized, often untrustworthy sites based overseas, letting industry and tax money slip away.
With hundreds of millions in revenue at stake, potential operators including San Diego County’s Indian tribes want action, not more delay.
#
The Pala Band of Mission Indians, based in North San Diego County, established an Internet poker website for New Jersey residents last fall, becoming the first tribe to break into the online gaming market. A spokesman for the tribe declined comment for this article.
While Pala is considered among the most aggressive on the topic, many other tribes are eager to play a hand in online poker.