California Senator Rod Wright is going to re-introduce his online poker legalisation bill for consideration in the Californian Legislature next year. So far no hearings have been scheduled for the bill, and the Legislature only meets in January first week, so it is unlikely for the bill to be considered before March 2013.
Fully titled Internet Gambling Consumer Protection and Public-Private Partnership Act of 2013, SB51 has essentially the same content as his former proposal SB1463.
Despite efforts at compromise in its drafting by Sen. Wright and Sen. Darren Steinberg, groups with interests in cornering the lion's share of what promises to be a lucrative market, along with conflicting tribal perspectives on the prospect of legalised online poker, might present too strong an opposition for the bill to progress.
Nevertheless, by designating SB51 as an urgency statute, Wright ensures that if it garners a two-thirds majority vote it will take effect immediately. Also the dissolution of the powerful Californian Online Poker Association (an alliance of tribal interests and a significant number of Californian card room operators) could smooth the road to passage for the measure.
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