Casino Morongo, Commerce, Hawaiian Gardens, and The Bike all announce partnership with Pokerstars to provide CA online poker

Nothing has been legalized in CA yet, but if these companies have their way, Pokerstars will be running the sites for Morongo, Commerce, Hawaiian Gardens, and The Bike.

It is not clear if they would share player pools or simply have competing sites.

Press release: http://www.psimg.com/pdf/press/ratio...california.pdf

Quote:

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The Morongo Band of Mission Indians, California’s (and the world’s) three largest card clubs – the Commerce Club, the Hawaiian Gardens Casino and the Bicycle Casino – and The Rational Group, which owns and operates PokerStars, announced today that once California enacts legislation authorizing intrastate online poker, PokerStars will serve as the subcontractor providing the online poker platform and related services for a real-money online poker website to be licensed, owned and operated by an entity owned by the Tribe and the card clubs. This will give Californians access to the world’s largest and most popular online poker brand in a safe and locally-regulated environment. The organizations will work together to advocate for legislation that extends California’s tough, long-established gaming regulations to include intrastate online poker and thus ensure stringent consumer protection, consumer choice and maximum revenue for the state.

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The biggest obstacle to this actually taking place is a competing bill that has a "bad actor" clause, barring Pokerstars from pahticipating in the legalized California poker market.

They got the California Poker hearing streaming here:

http://calchannel.granicus.com/Media...4&event_id=856

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

The biggest obstacle to this actually taking place is a competing bill that has a "bad actor" clause, barring Pokerstars from pahticipating in the legalized California poker market.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by BeerAndPoker

They got the California Poker hearing streaming here:

http://calchannel.granicus.com/Media...4&event_id=856

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What's funny about that hearing is that multiple times they we talking about PokerStars - but never referred to them by name ... but it's clearly something everyone was aware of. During one point in the proceedings, a guy representing the card rooms said he's heard from players around the country that basically if given the choice - they'd play on PokerStars.

I agree it is one of the few things they aren't agreeing on at the moment. While I think it would be cool to have PokerStars as an option if this bill passes - I agreed with another presenters point that a rival casino/tribe/cardroom isn't going to invest the ~20 million just to get your room launched if they have to compete with PokerStars.

We'll see what happens, but after watching I feel a little more optimistic we might get something done by the end of the year.

I am dying to open up my Hawaiian Gardens online site. I am going to invest in a large tent so that I can get a more authentic experience.

Not really feeling the whole pokerstars entering first there kind of shady they should wait a and pay the price for running an illegal cardroom but if they combine player pools with those three rooms it sounds very intriguing.

Pokerstars is bad news for any poker.

Todd I witnessed you badmouthing them some years ago in the chat box so don't tell me you didn't.

As I recalled you said.

''Has this place no shame!''



And the old man here knows what saw wearing his glasses and seeing you getting franked.

On second thought I don't really care who runs things in California as long as I have a legal online poker in Cali by the end of the year.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jacosta24

On second thought I don't really care who runs things in California as long as I have a legal online poker in Cali by the end of the year.

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Hah legal but as sick and dishonest as a cold wind from H#ll.

And do you think these politicians who want to run online poker give a sh#t if it's fair or not? H#ll no they're too lazy to set up a system at the states expense, or they're either on the take. I know as I lived in Chicago and know how it all goes down.

Hey go ahead and sign up but remember that sh#t flows downhill and if you sign up you're going all the way to the crapper with it.

The politicians are so crooked that in 2008 when I had my business I was audited by the California State Tax Franshise Board due to the recession and my sales being in half.

So after this b#tch wastes 2 days of my time she clears me,

Then I ask her ''How much money does your department waste each year doing this?''

She says. I can't tell you and you don't want to know. Because if you did you'd kill me.'' And she laughs.

''Sorry I asked the question as I already knew the answer.'' I said.

So Todd hasn't responded to my first post here and he can't as if he denies he said that in the chat box at Pokerstars a few years ago he would be a liar and he's not, but is an honest man.

''Do you Todd Whitteles solemly swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?''

''I do.''

BUMP

LA Times article about the situation: http://www.latimes.com/business/hilt...mn.html#page=1

The article says that it is expected that an internet poker bill will pass in California this session, and that the chances are greater than even that the "bad actor" clause keeping Pokerstars out will be dropped.

We will see.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

BUMP

LA Times article about the situation: http://www.latimes.com/business/hilt...mn.html#page=1

The article says that it is expected that an internet poker bill will pass in California this session, and that the chances are greater than even that the "bad actor" clause keeping Pokerstars out will be dropped.

We will see.

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With that news in the other thread about a possible reverse takeover may not matter one bit anyway.

morongo wasn't down...

http://www.onlinepokerreport.com/125...ribal-support/

Morongo angrily responds to Pokerstars being shut out:

Quote:

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Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Commerce Club, Hawaiian Gardens Casino, Bicycle Casino and The Rational Group Coalition Response to 13 Tribe Announcement and Proposed Amendments to iPoker Legislation

· We support legislation that would allow Californians to play online poker on well-regulated websites owned by California’s existing trusted gaming partners and operated by the most qualified and suitable companies in the industry.

· We believe the legislative process should be used to establish a strong regulatory system that ensures stringent consumer protection, consumer choice and maximum revenue for the state.

· However, we strongly oppose the so-called “bad actor” language that is nothing other than a blatant attempt to provide certain interests with an unfair competitive advantage by arbitrarily locking out trusted iPoker brands. We will vigorously oppose any legislation that includes this language.

· These provisions in the Tribal coalition’s proposed amendments that are solely intended to lock out certain providers violate both the U.S. and California constitutions.

· The tribal coalition amendments would exclude from participation, for purely anti-competitive reasons, companies that have never admitted or been convicted of wrongdoing, are duly licensed in jurisdictions around the world, and have set the gold standard in the online poker industry for game and financial integrity and player satisfaction.

· At the same time, the legislation would not exclude companies or individuals that clearly have operated illegal California-facing casino wagering and sports betting sites and that have admitted to breaking the law.

· Make no mistake, we believe strongly that all licensees and operators should meet the highest standards of accountability and suitability.

· We believe the job of determining suitability should be left with the existing regulators – the CA Gambling Control Commission and the Attorney General’s Bureau of Gambling Control, using the Gambling Control Act’s existing standards that these regulators have been successfully applying for many years.

· We look forward to working with all stakeholders and with members of the Legislature to craft a final bill that will best serve the interests and needs of all Californians– and not just those who would use the Legislature to protect them from fair competition.

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I'm actually against Morongo/Stars on this one.

Stars was able to develop top software using money derived from illegally being in the market, and now would provide a huge advantage to whomever partners with them in CA.

That's not fair to all of the other companies who acted legally. Stars took a gamble when continuing to offer games after the 2006 UIGEA, and now they have to suffer the consequences.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dan Druff

Morongo angrily responds to Pokerstars being shut out:

Quote:

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Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Commerce Club, Hawaiian Gardens Casino, Bicycle Casino and The Rational Group Coalition Response to 13 Tribe Announcement and Proposed Amendments to iPoker Legislation

· We support legislation that would allow Californians to play online poker on well-regulated websites owned by California’s existing trusted gaming partners and operated by the most qualified and suitable companies in the industry.

· We believe the legislative process should be used to establish a strong regulatory system that ensures stringent consumer protection, consumer choice and maximum revenue for the state.

· However, we strongly oppose the so-called “bad actor” language that is nothing other than a blatant attempt to provide certain interests with an unfair competitive advantage by arbitrarily locking out trusted iPoker brands. We will vigorously oppose any legislation that includes this language.

· These provisions in the Tribal coalition’s proposed amendments that are solely intended to lock out certain providers violate both the U.S. and California constitutions.

· The tribal coalition amendments would exclude from participation, for purely anti-competitive reasons, companies that have never admitted or been convicted of wrongdoing, are duly licensed in jurisdictions around the world, and have set the gold standard in the online poker industry for game and financial integrity and player satisfaction.

· At the same time, the legislation would not exclude companies or individuals that clearly have operated illegal California-facing casino wagering and sports betting sites and that have admitted to breaking the law.

· Make no mistake, we believe strongly that all licensees and operators should meet the highest standards of accountability and suitability.

· We believe the job of determining suitability should be left with the existing regulators – the CA Gambling Control Commission and the Attorney General’s Bureau of Gambling Control, using the Gambling Control Act’s existing standards that these regulators have been successfully applying for many years.

· We look forward to working with all stakeholders and with members of the Legislature to craft a final bill that will best serve the interests and needs of all Californians– and not just those who would use the Legislature to protect them from fair competition.

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I'm actually against Morongo/Stars on this one.

Stars was able to develop top software using money derived from illegally being in the market, and now would provide a huge advantage to whomever partners with them in CA.

That's not fair to all of the other companies who acted legally. Stars took a gamble when continuing to offer games after the 2006 UIGEA, and now they have to suffer the consequences.

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Ok I guess the 800lb gorilla in the room is now Amaya who have bought PS apparently.. This is a weird way to look at it but one could make the case that PS is still PS even if Amaya owns it. Putting lipstick and fake tits on a guy and changing her name to Tiffany doesnt negate the 8" cock in the pants.. But then Again California is weird like that might view it as discrimination against the transgendered poker site.. :)

BUMP

Looks like there won't be any California legalized online poker until at least 2016:

http://www.latimes.com/local/politic...806-story.html

The main bill has been shelved until next year, as there is only a month left in the California legislative session, and it was determined that was not enough time to resolve the matter.

There is a second bill, but it hasn't gone anywhere, and that is unlikely to change.

This means there won't be a law passed regarding California legalized online poker until (at least) 2015, and it will take another year to get anything up and running (due to the slow process of adopting regulations and getting licesnes/approvals).

I was hoping to play online poker in 2015 in California, but that is not going to happen. Too bad.

BOOOOOO!

i find it hard to believe that druff does not like stars. for 3 years in a row he was in the top five limit holdem winners for the year at all thier high limit games. i do remember it was 93k at 100-200. he made close to 200k thier that one year. that information came from poker listings.