California Online Poker Bid Stalls

The California Online Poker Association's Board of Managers announced last week that it is dissolving the association, saying that it based its decision upon insufficient progress in the passage of an online poker bill.

When COPA was formed two years ago, its operating agreement forewarned that the organization would dissolve itself if state online poker legislation was not passed by January 2, 2013, association spokesperson Ryan Hightower said in a press statement.

He added that although the bill now appears unlikely to pass, COPA's members continue to believe that the legalization of in-state Internet poker would provide California with hundreds of millions in new state revenue, thousands of new jobs and vital protections for players.

While COPA's announcement represents a sort of temporary setback, it by no means signals the end of efforts to legalize poker in California. We agree with their assessment that Internet poker would be a good move, and are confident legislators will eventually see the light.

The outcome of the US Presidential Elections - 4 more years for the current Obama administration - could potentially usher in a new era for American online poker. Plus, the fact that Nevada is pushing ahead with its own intrastate poker licenses means there will be an ongoing precedent for Californian legislators to monitor and eventually emulate.