A major rift developed last year when the Morongo Mission Indians teamed up with four California card-rooms in an effort to get online poker legalized and regulated in California –an agenda still on the table in California.

At Wednesday’s 15th annual Western Indian Gaming Conference both sides were able to explain their points. Morongo Chairman Robert Martin feels action is needed before the federal government legalizes and regulates the industry, which would in effect cut out any new competition in the already flooded online poker market.

Proponents of the bill still have numerous questions including the impact to land-based casinos –which would likely be minimal since many Californians already participate in online poker– and exclusivity protections for the Indian Tribes –a highly unlikely concession.

The goal of the conference was to build a united front in an effort to make sure no tribe would be left out or acting alone after a consensus on the issue is reached.

The online poker legislation in California has been gaining a lot of traction in the state government, with the deficit riddled state searching for new means of revenue. According to the Dessert Sun, former state Sen. Jim Battin is confident an Internet poker bill will make its way to the California voters sometime this year.

Tags: California Poker, Legal Poker News, Legalizedonline poker in California, Online Poker in California

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