California Looks At State Internet Gambling Legalization - 04-22-08

April 22 - When the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed in October, 2006, its ambiguous wording became the bane of those who were called to implement the new law. On the surface, the UIGEA's wording showed that individual states had the right to legalize and regulate intrastate online gambling, however this, too, has been a point of contention between gambling opponents and proponents.

A recent bill proposal by California assemblyman, Lloyd Levine, may clarify this issue once and for all. The Gambling Control/Intrastate Online Poker Act, calls for the California Gambling Control Commission to work closely with the state Department of Justice to explore whether California internet gambling would be illegal under federal laws or not.

According to Levine, California internet gambling would comprise of sites run in the state and limited to California gamblers only. He believes that this scenario makes online gambling legal in the state under the terms of the present UIGEA.

Levine still has a long way to go before he sees California internet gambling a reality. The bill still needs to gain the approval of the Committee of Appropriations. If so, and the study shows that intrastate gambling is legal, the issue will be put up for vote.

New legislation will protect the consumer rights of California gamblers, Levine believes. It will also contain problems such as problem and underage gambling.

Levine assured his voters that there would be strict control over the imminent online gambling industry. "It would be regulated," he said in an interview. "We don't know what the state's piece will be, but it will be a regulated entity."

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