PowerFul Support For California Online Poker BIll
Saturday, April 23, 2016 : CALIFORNIA HORSEMEN COME OUT IN FAVOUR OF ONLINE POKER LEGALISATION BILL (Update)
Powerful support for Assemblymen Gray's AB2863.
Nine organisations representing the California horse racing industry have signalled their support for Assemblyman Adam Gray's Assembly Bill 2863, which seeks to legalise intrastate online poker in California.
The state horse racing industry is apparently prepared to stay out of the intrastate online poker market if it is paid a subsidy of up to $60 million a year calculated on revenues, clearing away one of the major obstacles still remaining in the search for agreement on legalization
The Thoroughbred Owners of California, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Jockeys Guild, California Authority of Racing Fairs, CA Teamsters Public Affairs Council, California Throroughbred Trainers, Los Alamitos Racing Association, and SEIU California were co-signatories to a letter this week which indicated support with a few conditions.
These include:
* A condition hedging future possibilities in online gambling generally by adding provisions to the bill which stress that the agreement to stay out of the online poker market does not mean that horseracing organisations are precluded from taking part in any future general Internet gambling industry that may develop and is permitted by the state.
* A provision stressing that the agreement on online poker does not affect the horseracing industry's existing rights regarding online wagering on horse races.
* That tax rates and fees remain reasonable in order to encourage operators and ensure that the $60 billion a year subsidy agreement is achievable.
* That any racing organisation that ceases to offer live racing will no longer be eligible for the subsidy from online poker.
