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Posts Tagged ‘California’

CA Creates Publicly Funded Gambling Addiction Center

Saturday, October 30th, 2010

California is a state leading the pack in developing a gambling initiative. Most likely it is because of its record deficit. This year the deficit made waves at a staggering $19.1 billion. That means that programs are in danger of being further cut…and there isn’t really much the state can spare. It has already pared down on a lot of programs that in former years were abundant. That means that there aren’t possible changes to fix things. The state has to elevate its revenue stream or it is facing an even higher deficit in the future and more problems with public programs. So far democrats want to borrow billions of dollars or increase taxes to overcome the problems. Other legislators are looking to expand gambling. This could be a good option, but it points to elevated levels of addictions as a possible outcome. California is making history by creating the first publicly funded gambling addiction program. It is the UCLA Gambling Studies Program that is teaming up with the Department of Alcohol and Drug Program to deal with the issue. The program is going to be a full-service center that helps gamblers deal with varieties of issues related to gambling problems.

The intriguing thing about this plan is that it is the first program that is going to be fueled publicly. That opens the door to other states to come through with a same problem. The joint venture between these two is unique and the first of its kind. The main focus is for research to be done not only on the issue, but also on its origins, and in turn a better treatment program. UCLA is known as one of the biggest research centers for various issues with the public. Now that the state is looking to increase its gambling addiction potential it has to come up with a plan for problems. The best way to do this is to create a joint venture with its biggest addiction-related companies and let them come up with solutions. The state of California is well on its way to creating a new publicly funded program that should help residents with any problems they have when it comes to over-gambling.

Tribal Leaders Having Problems with Poker

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

The state of California is having serious issues with gambling these days. First of all, gambling is highly lucrative and the state’s deficit is huge. Bringing gambling in is almost a necessity if the state is going to have any chance at overcoming the huge shortfall in funding. There are few other options that could potentially bring in the billions needed. Gambling is the best chance the state has to overcome its struggling financial position. The move to expand online gambling is not without cause for debate though. Namely tribes within the state are showing huge resistance to the expansion of gaming because it eats at their own revenues. Nativer Americans are ready to fight for their rights due to a treaty worked out with them giving them the right to offer legalized gambling in the state. Many tribes rely on that revenue to sustain their budgets and have few other options. They too suffered due to the recession. Gamers who frequented their casinos now are coming in sparser and sparser numbers due to the recession. If the state expands its own gambling and legalizes online gaming, that could mean financial disaster for Indian-owned casinos. Gambling is their main source of income and without it, they have few other means of supporting themselves or promoting growth within the tribes.

The Morongo Band is organizing a group of tribes to voice their demands for protection of their rights and financial revenues. They have the backing of twelve other tribes that believe that without gambling protection, they are going to suffer financially to the point of depression themselves. The tribal leaders want all casino websites to work through their own tribes. They state that the deal with the US was for this protection and they won’t stand for the changes that are happening. No one knows for sure what is going to happen, but the tribal leaders have to be vocal about their issues. It is going to be difficult for California legislators to stop gambling expansions due to the financial positions they are in right now as a result of the recession. Hopefully they will be able to implement changes that bring in revenue, but still protect the tribally-owned casinos and their profits too.

CA Still Focusing on Self-Exclusion Laws

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

When gambling was first being debated one of the biggest questions was addictions. Though states could offer gambling, how would addicts manage? Would new addicts have the resources needed to help them? Where would funding come for these additional resources? All of these questions were used by anti-gambling legislators who believed that without the proper safeguards in place, no one would be able to manage if they had an addiction. They surely would fall into joblessness, foreclosure, bill defaults and overall financial disarray. Their stand, though debatable, held some viable arguments. What would legislators do if the problems with addiction became too hard to manage? Do people have the proper amount of resource centers and treatment facilities to handle an influx of gambling addicts? This is a question that California is facing right now and trying to find answers to.

California has long been a state that is trying to implement gambling. The state has a huge deficit to manage, and without the tax revenue dollars of gambling, there are few other options for bringing in the billions needed. This week the state looked into a new web-based program that would allow states to share a “self-exclusion” list for consumers. This is a list of people who feel that they can’t handle gambling, or don’t want that temptation, so they put their names on the “self-exclusion list.” Then, when they try to enter a casino their name will appear in the database and they will be denied access to the location. It is easy for customers to submit their names. The process involved downloading the paperwork or getting it from a land-based casino. Then the person has to fill it out, notarize it and return it to the state. Their name is then automatically submitted to the database. Casinos are tasked with checking every entrant into the location against the database and denying entrance to people on the list. It is going to work a lot like clubs that have an infrared scanner for all patrons to pass their IDs through. It easily checks their birth date and if they are banned from the club or have any complaints at the club. The self-exclusion list works a lot like that and it is hoped to save people with potential addictions from surefire financial disaster.

CA Shores up Self-Exclusion Rules- Part 2

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

This time the new generation of self-exclusion check points will include asking all patrons for their state IDs or driver’s licenses. Those then are checked via a computer and a program to see if they come up on the database. It’s a lot like the types of machines used by bars and clubs when checking to make sure patrons are of age. A special light notes the date of birth but the name is also scanned to make sure the patron is not on a “banned” list for the club. It is this same type of technology that is going to be used by casinos to make sure that customers aren’t on the self-exclusion list. The list also will be shared throughout the country so gambling addicts have no way of moving from casino to casino or state to state for their gambling needs. This is the main way that the program will help out casinos.

In addition, with the added legal push of states for casinos to be more honest, transparent and customer-centric in their dealings, they need programs like this. States are putting the bulk of managing addictions and citing helpful programs for anyone with gambling problems directly in the hands of casinos. Casino operators have to be more advanced than ever because if they allow a patron who is on the self-exclusion list into the casino, states are going to start fining them big bucks. They know that every person who gets past their front door will potentially cost them. Though they can say they “tried” this is hard to uphold. Without qualified programs, state legislators are going to blame the casinos and bring them up to code. Some legislators are hinting that there will be a three-time rule where if a casino gets caught three times allowing gambling by a self-exclusion name, the casino will be not only fined, but also shut down for a set period of time. That means there are millions of dollars that could be lost if casinos aren’t ready to take on the responsibility of watching the self-exclusion list and managing it properly.

Online Gambling Network Becoming a Reality

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Many US states have huge deficits. It’s no secret that the recession was hard on the economy and though there are small signs of change, it still isn’t anywhere near returning to pre-recessionary models. California is a state that was particularly hard-hit by the recession. It had a huge deficit prior to the economy’s fall and after it was much worse off. Their deficit reached unparallelled proportions. Now the state’s legislators are waiting for options to help spur the economy back to growth or at minimum to bring in millions of dollars that are needed to have even a slim chance of recovery.

The state’s legislators are now talking about formalizing an online gambling network. The purpose would be to join the state in an effort to maximize the amount of funds that are coming in due to gambling. Thirty-five analysts came together recently to discuss the issue’s pros and cons of legalizing the network. It was interesting because there issue was delved into from both perspectives. Though many legislators are pro-gambling, the meeting was to allow both sides the equal amount of time to state their cases. One entity that was present and hoping to bring the positives of gambling to the world was the Morongo Indian Tribe. The Tribe owns the casinos in the area and is now making a move to go online. The reality is that the tribe has suffered great declines in revenue since the recession and they are finding online gambling as a direct competitor. Their belief is that if they can’t compete with online gambling, then why not get into it? The Tribe is hoping they can be instrumental in building the online gambling network and share in its spoils. People are not gambling in land-based casinos like they used to and Tribal leaders know if they don’t do something drastic they could face more financial strain for a lot longer.

Only time will tell where gambling is going from here, but most likely California will do whatever it takes to legalize and properly regulate gambling. The network would be the easiest way to saturate the entire state with gambling but still have a handle on how it is grown in the market.

California Looking to Legalize Gambling

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

It’s no secret that California is under a huge financial burden these days. Since the recession, the state has suffered greatly and is having a hard time recovering. The recession brought hefty foreclosure rates, a huge unemployment cost and overall depression to the state. Now, it has few options in terms of bringing in much-needed revenue. One of the newest trends in the US is to find creative ways of legalizing gambling. Gambling has proven its worth—it is a billion-dollar and growing business. No one anticipated the overwhelming response gambling would get when it was first introduced to the market. Sure land-based casinos have been popular, but that didn’t mean that they would translate well into the online gambling market.

Over the years, land-based casinos have found a lot of success with bringing in tourists. States have used them to create a tourist buzz and in turn a new revenue stream. Once online gambling came into play, it was not known if people would continue gambling, or cut back due to the overwhelming possibilities. Online gambling took off and proved to be a huge draw in the market. If you look at the numbers, it is one of the only industries that has consistently grown over the past five years, without any dip. Since the recession, it has only gained momentum due to its convenience and affordability. Though land-based gambling can be costly—of both money and time—internet gambling proves to be a popular alternative because it overcomes both.

If you love land-based gambling then check out internet gaming. Most likely if you are in California you will soon see a lot of new gambling activity. The state is under a lot of pressure to find millions of dollars for the 2011 budget’s needs, and there are few options that will bring in that kind of money other than gambling. Legislators are now debating the possibilities and how to write laws that make it truly possible to legally gamble in the state. Only time will tell how long it takes, but most likely in coming months the state will embrace gambling and gaming activities that involve wagering online and at land-based casino locations.

NJ and CA Fighting for Gaming Title

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

New Jersey and California are two states in a head-to-head race. It may seem strange, but the title each one wants is the first state to successfully regulate online gambling. It is an interesting time in the market because gamblign is a much-needed money generating activity. Since the recession states have been left with short budgets and huge deficits to deal with. Without the legalization and regulation of online casino gambling and land-based gambling there are few other options to manage financially.

Since the recession states have been scrammbling to change their budgets. Many programs have been cut that include education, public works, development and expansion. The 2010/2011 budget has been revamped to manage the smaller revenues to work with and state legislators are working to find other ways to bring in cashflow. The number one way thusfar has been gambling.

It is for this reason that New Jersey and California are fighting it out to institute a reliable gaming law. it could mean millions of dollars for each of the economies and it also would help to bring more casino facilities to the areas. That means that more jobs for locals will be created. Overall building new casinos is a win-win situation. Despite the positive changes, there are still some naysayers who believe that casino gambling in the area will inevitably bring more crime. They believe that it will bring in money laundering, identity thefts and other forms of criminal activity. Still state legislators are are focused and determined to bring a reputable law into play. They believe that the overwhelming benefit of millions of dollars per year is going to overshadow any additional problems that may arise.

New Jersey and California are fighting it out for the first state to regulate gaming. Imagine that a precident that state will create for future states as the US moves into full gambling regulation in the future. They are each testing different bills but only time will tell what each will find success and failure with.

CA Looking to Bring in an Online Gambling Network

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

California is one of those states that is having problems with online gambling legislation. The deficits for the state are huge though and without some gambling allowance, the state is at a loss for generating the additional cash needed to overcome the budget problems. Earlier this year the state’s legislators met to discuss an intrastate online poker network. It was an introduction and an indication of where the state wants to go in terms of gambling in the future. If anyone had the thought that the state would shelf the issue, this proves that they are actively searching for solutions to the problem of implementing an online gambling resolution.

In the meeting were thirty-five experts in the field and each one was asked to voice their opinion on the issue and cite the pros and cons. The overall decision was that online gambling should be addressed conservatively at the beginning. Legislators believe that it is unrealistic for communities to believe that immediate implementation of the hobby can occur. Rather, it will take time to truly utilize online gaming as a means of bringing in tax-revenue dollars.

One entity offering aid is the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. The tribal leaders are offering answers and hoping that their involvement can help speed up the process. The tribe would like to be instrumental in the development of an online gambling network that would be introduced in conjunction with their own expansion efforts. They want to bring in a number of land-based casinos throughout the state. The Morongo Band of Mission Indians wants to get in from the ground floor with their own ideas about online wagering. Unfortunately for the tribe there is a lot of opposition. Other tribes in the area maintain that allowing the Morongo Tribe to go forward with their initiative would shut them out of the gambling world. Many other tribes also have land-based casinos in the state and feel that the acceptance of the proposal would create a monopoly of the market. Recent research shows that California could potentially bring in upwards of $600 million over the next 5 years if they approve online gambling within the state.

California Debates Online Gambling…Again

Sunday, March 14th, 2010

The question of whether or not to legalize online gaming is still up for debate in California. The debate rages all over the country though. Legislators everywhere are voicing their opinions on the issue. On one side there are legislators who believe that without legalizing gambling there are few ways to manage the budget or handle the huge deficits states are under. The money potentially available via tax-revenue dollars on gambling is a difficult thing to pass up in today’s post-recessionary economy. On the other hand are those who believe that the money is good, but not enough to justify the other cost of bringing gambling into various jurisdictions. They believe that legalizing gambling would inevitably bring in money laundering, crime, corruption and addiction in mass numbers.

California is voicing its debate and compulsive gambling experts are saying that legalized online gambling would create more and more problems for the state. California’s first-ever statewide conference on problem gambling drew academics, therapists and government regulators to debate out the issue. Opponents believe that the amount of government funding available is not enough for the potential demand legalizing online gambling throughout the state would create. The two-day meeting during National Problem Gambling Week is continuing as discussions continue in the Capitol on the Morongo Band of Mission Indians’ proposal. The tribe is proposing the creation of a tribal intrastate internet poker consortium in which people would be able to use their laptops and iPhones to play online poker. The state would profit via a portion of the proceeds from the plan though details of the financial plan have yet to be decided on. Of the state, Whittier College Professor I. Nelson Rose, a gambling law expert, said, “It is desperate for money.”

Approximately 24 employees of the county Department of Mental Health’s Substance Abuse Program have been certified by the state to treat problem gamblers thanks to a grant from the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, which runs a casino near Temecula, officials said.”I think it would be a tremendously bad idea,” William W. Harris, a prevention services coordinator for the county, said of legalizing online card games. Therapists, he said, already see patients — mainly young and homebound people — who play online poker through illegal offshore sites.

Tribal Casinos in CA Fight Against Internet Poker

Monday, March 1st, 2010

As legislators consider making California the first state in the country to legalize and regulate Internet poker, a coalition of Indian gaming tribes warned them Friday that the proposal would not create the budget windfall backers claim and could actually cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars. The tribes argues that this legislation would break current laws stating that the tribal casinos are the only group allowed to offer gabling and that in passing such a legislation the legal agreement the casino has with the state would be broken and the casinos would not be legally required to pay the 365 million dollar cut of slot revenue they currently are required to give to the state of California.

The legalization of Internet poker will be debated Tuesday at a hearing of the state Senate Committee on Governmental Organization. This is seen as a first step toward the possibility of legislation to create a state-sanctioned game. Currently online pokers is a 350 billion dollar a year industry, however, all companies operate on foreign soil due to federal mandates prohibiting gambling.  Legalizing online poker in California , one of the nation’s most in debt states would give the state access to a portion of this revenue.  A rival group of Indian gaming tribes that opposes Internet poker, the California Tribal Business Alliance, has hired Mike Genest, who until last year was Schwarzenegger’s finance director, to vet the claims of proponents.This debate is happening in states across the country.  Many states have legalized one form of gambling or another and has had to overcome similar opposition.  The question now lies in the hands of the people of California and only time will tell what decision they will make.

Genest says that legalizing online poker would not provide a greater revenue than currently being received from tribal casinos. “The proponents of this proposal to legalize Internet poker in California are touting it as a major solution to our state’s budget crisis,” said alliance Chairwoman Leslie Lohse, who said the study results “clearly show the state needs to research some more feasible solutions.” What California needs to do is agree upon a real number, the amount of revenue online poker would generate for the state and only then can it determine if this is a financially responsible decision for the state.  The state may also see opposition from tribal casinos around the nation as well as from its citizens that value morals and traditional family values over an increase in the bottom line.