By Zach Purgason

09/04/2008

                California has often been a forward thinking state that leads the country in moving toward the future by bringing new issues into our law and government.  Online poker is no exception to this.  California could possibly be the first state to legalize online poker, but we’ll now have to wait until 2009 to see if it happens.

                Bill AB 2026 was introduced by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine and Poker Voters of America President Jim Tabilio who acted as a citizen sponsor.  The bill was before the Senate Appropriations Committee to go up for a vote however due to unclear factors bill AB 2026 has been put on hold and will be reintroduced in January 2009.

                It may be the California Senate is waiting to see the outcome of the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election which will very likely make a huge impact of the federal support of online poker.  Regardless with more than 2 million estimated online poker players in California they’ve recognized they must address the issue in a reasonable way that is fair to all California citizens.  The bill focuses on preserving Califorians right to have access to online poker if they so choose to play it as well as coming up with a system that is fair, safe and regulated.

                Not only will bill AB 2026 legalizing online poker be a relief at to poker players but as the plan calls for taxation on the game the state will also reap the rewards of added revenue.  And like so many other times in government, money talks.  Some have speculated that the reluctance to legalize online poker is the problem of developing a system for taxing it.

                Either way the California government has shown encouraging signs of support for the bill.  As with the recent legalization of gay marriage and the addressing of many other tough issues, California seems set to lead the way for the rest of the states in maintaining freedom of choice for U.S. citizens on the issue of online poker.