California Assemblyman Mike Gatto introduced his bill, AB 9 just before the end of the year in 2014. One of the elements that made this new bill different from previous efforts was the in person requirement. Gatto has since changed his position on the necessity of such a requirement after players and other influencers of the industry indicated dislike for the rule. The Assemblyman met with security experts and industry professionals to determine comparable options that would effectively curtail underage gambling and fraud.
Gatto feels confident that by using identity verification technology similar to what financial institutions use that they will be able to effectively verify the age and identity of registrants and prevent underage or fraudulent registrations and transactions. Gatto has no doubts that the state can develop a sensible and effective real money California online poker framework that adequately protects both operators and players. He expressed hope that lawmakers will listen to the experts and form fact based opinions for moving forward with strong public policy concerning online poker.
While the in person registration would not be required with AB 9, it is still an option for players and it is hoped that enough players will opt for the face to face registration to generate foot traffic in the brick and mortar casinos. Additional amendments to the bill may include the classification of illegal gambling operations within the state as a felony offense. Read more about the state’s laws and statutes here.
John Pappas, executive director of the Poker Players Alliance also believes that players simply won’t want to exert the effort necessary to register in person and would instead stick with the offshore online poker sites that do not have an in person registration requirement. Not every player lives close to brick and mortar destinations that would offer online poker, and all of those players would likely be eliminated from a state regulated player base simply due to inconvenience.
Any state regulated online poker initiatives will have to compete with the existing offshore poker sites offering their services to players in the Golden State. Along with competitive incentives such as bonuses and promotions, they will also have to compete on the level of convenience that is offered as well. This one factor can make or break an online poker brand. There are some talks that Assemblyman Reggie Jones Sawyer may introduce his own online poker bill in the near future. Sawyer was the author of an online poker bill last year that did not see fruition.