{"id":26471,"date":"2019-06-18T16:07:00","date_gmt":"2019-06-18T16:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/?p=26471"},"modified":"2019-06-19T13:06:37","modified_gmt":"2019-06-19T13:06:37","slug":"proposed-california-card-room-changes-arent-sitting-well-with-the-cities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/proposed-california-card-room-changes-arent-sitting-well-with-the-cities\/","title":{"rendered":"Proposed California Card Room Changes Aren\u2019t Sitting Well With The Cities"},"content":{"rendered":"
If California Attorney General Xavier Becerra<\/strong> gets his way, card rooms in the state are about to see new regulations that could dramatically impact their operations.<\/p>\n Becerra, who won election<\/a> to his post in November 2018, runs the office that oversees the California Bureau of Gambling Control<\/strong>. That body is responsible for investigating potential crimes and enforcing penalties on gaming operators in the state.<\/p>\n Since he was appointed<\/a> attorney general by then-California\u00a0Gov. Jerry Brown<\/strong> in December of 2016, Becerra\u2019s choices for staffing the bureau have taken an active role in the regulation of gaming in the state, drawing criticism from many.<\/p>\n The crux of the rule changes involves the use of third-party bankers<\/strong> in table games, the ability of dealers to work uninterrupted<\/strong> and the disallowing of certain 21\/blackjack<\/strong> games.<\/p>\n Under the status quo, California card rooms are currently free to take extra revenue<\/strong> from hands in games like blackjack despite the fact that the house is not directly involved in the wagering on the games. Card rooms contract with third parties that act as the banker in the games.<\/p>\n Card rooms collect a fee per hand from all players based on the amount wagered in the current system. If the new rules take effect, the card rooms would no longer be able to use the third parties and would have to act as the banker in the games themselves.<\/p>\n The new rules also mandate breaks<\/strong> when dealers in card games change tables. Dealer rotations currently happen without interruption to the ongoing games.<\/p>\n There are also no currently enforced rules that would bar card rooms from offering any variants of blackjack<\/strong>. That has been the case since 2001 when the state legislature repealed a law<\/a> limiting those games to facilities operated on Native American<\/strong> tribal lands.<\/p>\n Critics say the rule changes would cause revenue to decline<\/strong> if allowed to take effect, and the result of diminishing returns would be seen in other ways.<\/p>\n A primary criticism revolves around whether the bureau has the authority to issue such changes. Jimmy Gutierrez,<\/strong> an attorney for the California\u00a0Cities for Self Reliance Joint Powers Authority<\/strong>,\u00a0stated<\/a> the argument for the Los Cerritos News<\/em>.<\/p>\n Gutierrez said:<\/p>\n \u201cThat is the crux of our argument and the Achilles\u2019 heel of the BGC. These are not questions for administrative bodies or state officials to consider, it is up to the courts to determine if these games are illegal.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Card room employees and operators<\/strong> have also spoken out. Protests were organized<\/a> at workshops put on by the bureau. Card room operators argued the changes in the rules will force them to cut jobs if not cease operations altogether.<\/p>\n Cities that collect taxes from the card rooms have also joined the chorus of dissent. Among them are Commerce, located in Los Angeles County<\/strong>.<\/p>\n3 potential card room changes<\/span><\/h2>\n
Criticism of gaming bureau<\/span><\/h2>\n
CA cities also decrying proposed changes<\/span><\/h2>\n