California Poker

September 13, 2008

The Poker Voters of America is looking to get online poker legalized in California, as well as other parts of the country. The head of the organization, Jim Tabillo, is a senior VP for Winning Directions – a direct mail marketing firm with offices in several cities including San Francisco.

But poker is Tabillo’s life. He has played in the last five World Series of Poker events in Las Vegas, yet considers himself an amateur. He says that he loves the game of poker, and as never played online anywhere but at United States’ based poker sites.

However, as it is illegal according to the Department of Justice, he is looking to change that. He has an opinion from the California Legislative Counsel’s office that they are considering legalizing online poker. The opinion states that the Legislature could make it legal just like the poker parlors are within the state.

Tabillo has written a bill called AB 2026 which has been sponsored by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine that would make poker legal, online, in California. Some say that the tribes within the state are going to have a problem with the legalization of poker online – but some say that they shouldn’t have too much of a problem with it as it doesn’t really infringe on their slot machines which is really where they make their money.