State Assemblyman Mike Gatto has held a keen interest in online poker expansion in the Golden State since the issue first arose in 2008.
In late 2014, he filed Bill AB 9 as an attempt to legalize online poker sites in California but it failed to gain traction and was later abandoned.
Odds are the Assemblyman will try again in 2016 and earlier this month he spoke to Pokerindustrypro.com about his bill and the climate of online poker regulation in California.
Online Poker Regulation Best Deterrent to Offshore Gambling
During the interview Gatto was asked about citizens that chose to play on offshore online poker sites. Despite the fact that player funds are at risk they still choose to play and little is done to deter players from gambling offshore.
Gatto was asked what could be done to deter players and whether fines against players that play on offshore sites are appropriate.
Gatto started by stating that there's little that the government can do to police the internet but he would like to see the "federal government put pressure on the worst actors around the globe."
He continued stating that he believes that prosecution and regulatory actions on the state level, when and where appropriate, could help deter players. Ultimately he believes that the best way to deter offshore gambling is to provide a safer market for players.
Gatto Still Believes in the Bad Actor Clause
Gatto's AB 9 includes the dreaded "bad actor clause" that has been one of the two main issues stalling iPoker regulation in the state.
The Assemblyman was asked whether he believed that a bad actor clause is in the best interest of California he confirmed that he did.
According to Gatto, "The Legislature should provide clear guidance to the Executive Branch regulators as to what individuals and entities should qualify for licenses."
He continued stating that any business wishing to operate online gaming in California "should be held to the highest standard possible to assure their integrity for the sake of their customers."
Mature Thinkers Needed to Create Compromise for Issues
At one point during the interview Gatto was asked what he thought it would take to finally get parties to reach a compromise on major points of contention.
He commented that if a bill were to pass, it "will take getting mature thinkers into the room and crafting a compromise."
The first steps were taken in 2015 towards a compromise regarding participation by the horse racing industry. The Pechanga offered a pair of solid compromises to the industry, one involving revenue sharing and the other an affiliate deal.
Unfortunately, the industry is still holding fast to their desire to have the right to operate a site.
However, such an offer of compromise could lead to other options in 2016 and perhaps a final resolution to the issues that have been stalling iPoker regulation for half a decade.