Native Tribes USA Move for Legalized Online Poker

Published: Saturday, August 15, 2009 Online-Casinos.com

The Morongo Band of Mission Indians has decided it is time to team up with California card clubs in an effort to make online poker legal in the state. This unusual scene is one that has been coming for a while now as land based Tribal Casinos are maybe just a little slower because of the turned down economy. These two gambling groups have been viewed in the past as rivals but as it turns out they may have a common goal of keeping the game of poker in the state of California USA. This move will consolidate efforts to convince Congress the prohibition on online poker is pushing consumers to offshore web sites.

A lawyer for the Morongo Band, George Forman, and Morongo tribal council member Damon Sandoval are developing a draft proposal. Mr. Forman said " there is nothing in federal law that prohibits a tribe from participating in state-authorized gaming outside the tribe's Indian lands." Patrick Dorinson, a Morongo spokesman said, "It's a way to head off competition,''

The newly created California Tribal Intrastate Internet Poker Consortium LLC is preparing a draft bill that could be ready as early as next week that proposes to allow "intrastate" Internet gambling.

Real opposition is brewing over this and debate has begun. Executive director of The California Tribal Business Alliance, Allison Harvey, was vocal in her opposition to the idea. Harvey believes the legislation as a "Trojan horse" for the wholesale expansion of non-Indian, off-reservation gambling in California. Other Tribal councils and officials are also weighing in on the issue. The Stand Up California spokesperson, Cheryl Schmit, said," the operation of an online poker site off Indian land also holds potential to be in violation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act."

Tribes in parts of the Coachella Valley of California have taken a neutral position mostly. Officials from the Card rooms declined to issue a comment so far in the debate.