New California Online Poker Bill AB 167 Released
California Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer has introduced AB 167. It is a bill that would legalize and regulate online poker in the state. The bill is referred to as the Internet Poker Consumer Protection Act of 2015.
The bill would only permit poker. All players must be at least 21 years of age and be located in California at the time of play.
The Internet Poker Consumer Protection Act of 2015 would permit card clubs, tribes, and racetracks to spread online poker. The tax rate would be 8.5% with a required $10 million initial deposit.
The bill would make it a felony for unlicensed sites to offer online gaming in California. The same penalties would apply to players that log into unlicensed sites for the purpose of real money gambling from California.
AB 167 has no clear bad actor clause. It would not immediately exclude PokerStars, although individuals with past legal issues would not be licensable.
The rake would be charged the same way that it is in California card clubs. A charge per hand will be the rake method, which may be varied depending on limits. An admin fee may be charged for poker tournaments.