The impasse in the legislature arose because the old moratorium restricted expansion for existing card clubs, as well as prohibiting the issue of licenses for new ones. Some lawmakers argued the restriction on existing clubs was depriving surrounding communities of extra tax dollars.<\/p>\n
But AB 341 will allow existing licensed card rooms with fewer than 20 gaming tables to add up to 10 new ones over the next 20 years. They can add up to two in the first year, and up to two more every four years thereafter.<\/p>\n
While tribal operators have fiercely resisted any kind of commercial gaming expansion, they figured this was better than the \u201cunlimited card room expansion\u201d foretold by CNIGA. And the card rooms were hardly thrilled with the idea of boundless competition either.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am happy to have brought the tribes and cardrooms together in a historic consensus that has resulted in the bipartisan AB 341 becoming law,\u201d<\/strong> said Assemblymember James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), who introduced the bill and is Native American.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nRamos said the new moratorium would \u201chelp ensure the vitality of the gaming industry by allowing for measured cardroom growth without over-expansion over the next 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
California Games<\/strong><\/h2>\nTribal operators have long complained that the card rooms violate tribal exclusivity on house-banked games like blackjack by offering so-called \u201cCalifornia games.\u201d These are versions of casino-style games that take a rake from each hand while allowing players to play in the dealer position, as in a poker game.<\/p>\n
But the tribes claim California games are too close to the Class III casino versions, and therefore violate their gaming compacts and the state constitution.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a sticking point that has long stymied the development of the gaming industry in California.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
California\u2019s tribal operators and card clubs have squabbled for years over issues like game exclusivity, online poker, and more recently, sports betting and Prop 26. But this week, they found something they could both agree on: no more card clubs. On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 341, the state\u2019s moratorium for the next 20 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":274783,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,13,18,61,18456],"tags":[81905,86449,82031,86450,84200],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
California Gov. Gavin Gewsom Approves Cardroom Freeze<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n