Californian poker is still on pause

The legislative session ended last week in California and the state congress hasn’t moved forward with the poker project.

Online poker regulations in California State have been delayed until next year, generating doubts about a possible approval. Local legislators have debated iGaming expansion in the market for the last 10 years, although there’s never been a positive outcome. According to official statements, the Congress would not consider the proposal this year.

The online poker bill was introduced last year by California Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer and Chairman of the Governmental Organisation Adam Grey. Jones-Sawyer commented to Gambling Insider that legislators would have to make the efforts once again to re-accomplish the goals they have set.

“I don’t want to sound like a minister or psychologist, but we’ve got to start from ground zero where we’ve got to at least get people to want to try to get it done again,” he stated. “When I first started on this in earnest, we were going slow and methodical, and we had some successes. We weren’t trying to rush anyone and we weren’t pitting one side against the other, as best we could.”

According to experts, the Californian online poker market could be one of the most profitable worldwide. However, the State’s legislators can’t even guarantee that the measure would be assessed next year, although there have been rumors earlier this month that PokerStars representatives are currently lobbying in Sacramento.

“If you look at the Assembly, we have other big things such as the transportation bill to focus on. This would not be a good year to put something controversial in. I think the ability to work out something next year has a bigger chance if we do some of the come-together healing things right now,” concluded Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer.