Californian poker bill will not be presented for a vote

California lawmakers will not be voting on online poker bill, AB 2863, in the State’s Assembly on Monday 22nd August.

The bill was thought to be the best chance of legalised online gambling in California and was called the Internet Poker Consumer Protection Act. Assemblyman Adam Gray, who was the one to introduce the bill, is not planning to present it for a vote now.

The coalition of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, three largest card clubs of California (Commerce Casino, Hawaiian Gardens Casino and Bicycle Casino) and Amaya Inc., that is the owner of PokerStars issued a letter urging to vote ‘no’ and oppose the amended bill that would prevent PokerStars from entering the online gambling industry in the state of California for 5 years.

If the bill passed, PokerStars would be banned from the market until 2022. The tribes supporting PokerStars prefer the penalty payment (previously $20 million fee was suggested), however at the moment there seems to be no clear agreement that means no online gambling in California yet.