NEW POLL SHOWS MANY CALIFORNIANS WANT ONLINE POKER

Sunday September 25, 2011 : The younger set in particular favour legalised internet poker
 
With two rival online poker bills before the California Legislature, and interested groups vying for attention, the legalization issue is gaining traction in the sunshine state, and prompted The Press-Enterprise and other California media subscribers to commission a poll from Field Poll earlier this month.
 
Conducted between September 1-12 among a random sample of 520 registered voters, the results of the poll were published this week and can be viewed in detail at http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_field24.20d8043.html.
 
Field Poll reports that a majority of California voters – especially those under age 40 – would like to see the state tax Internet poker and make the game legal.
 
Among all age groups, 53 percent of voters support the idea, the poll found, while 41 percent oppose it. Among voters under age 40, however, support grows to 73 percent.
 
Parties involved in the political debate – owners of Indian casinos, card rooms and race tracks – are supposed to meet this fall to hash out a compromise proposal for the Legislature to consider next year.
 
Lawmakers who support Internet gambling have said it could bring hundreds of millions to state coffers.