SB 278: Gambling: Internet poker.

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Existing law, the Gambling Control Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of various legalized gambling activities and establishments by the California Gambling Control Commission and the investigation and enforcement of those activities and establishments by the Department of Justice.

This bill would authorize the operation of an Internet poker Web site within the borders of the state. The bill would require the commission, in consultation with the department, to promulgate regulations for intrastate Internet poker. The bill would require those regulations to include, but not be limited to, a licensing process for an individual or entity to become an operator of an Internet poker Web site and rules for the operation of an Internet poker Web site.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

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The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1.

The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(a)In October 2006, the United States Congress passed the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) (31 U.S.C. Secs. Sec. 5361 et seq.), which generally prohibits the use of banking instruments, including credit cards, checks, and fund transfers, for interstate Internet gambling.

(b)UIGEA essentially prohibits online gambling by United States citizens, but includes exceptions that permit individual states to create a regulatory framework to enable intrastate Internet gambling, if the bets or wagers are made exclusively within a single state under certain circumstances.

SEC. 2.Chapter 5.2 (commencing with Section 19990.101) is added to Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, to read:5.2.Authorized Intrastate Internet Poker1.General Provisions19990.101.

An Internet poker Web site authorized pursuant to this chapter may be operated within the borders of the state in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. Secs. Sec. 5361 et seq.).

2.Definitions19990.201.

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(a)Commission means the California Gambling Control Commission.

(b)Department means the Department of Justice.

3.Administration19990.301.

The commission, in consultation with the department, shall promulgate regulations for intrastate Internet poker. These regulations shall include, but not be limited to, both of the following:

(a)A licensing process for an individual or entity to become an operator of an Internet poker Web site.

(b)Rules for the operation of an Internet poker Web site.

SEC. 3.

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

In order to, at the earliest possible time, authorize the operation of Internet poker Web sites in California, create a licensing process for operators of those Web sites, and establish rules for the operation of those Web sites, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.

Date	Status
Feb 19, 2015	Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Feb 20, 2015	From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
Mar 5, 2015	Referred to Com. on G.O.
Jun 15, 2015	From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on G.O.
Feb 1, 2016	Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

Authors shown for version:
Amended Senate (6/15/2015)