Pennsylvania Assemblyman Adam Gray, who chairs the Assembly Government Organization Committee hearing later today (24 June) in California, has gathered together a formidable list of expert witnesses who will impart their knowledge during the afternoon session.
Our readers can tune in to the audio stream on the hearing from 1.30pm Eastern Standard Time here:
http://assembly.ca.gov/listen/4202-audio
Titled “The Legality of Internet Poker – How Prepared Is California to Regulate It?” the hearing is one of several that Assemblyman Gray has scheduled in order to thoroughly and professionally access expert views on the subject in a balanced manner.
As such it stands in stark contrast to the largely biased congressional hearings on the Restoration of America’s Wire Act held earlier this year by Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz, which became notorious for some questionable and unsubstantiated attacks on internet gambling (see previous reports).
Among the witnesses scheduled to give testimony on the pros and cons of legalised online poker before Gray’s panel are the following:
Anita Lee, Senior Fiscal & Policy Analyst, Legislative Analyst’s Office
Stephen M. Hart, J.D., Partner, Lewis Roca Rothgerber LLP
Chris Krafcik, Research Director North America, GamblingCompliance – a respected and impartial industry researcher.
Michael J. Pollock, Managing Director, Spectrum Gaming Group
Anna Sainsbury, Chief Executive Officer, GeoComply (geo-location technology capabilities).
Craig Abrahams, Chief Financial Officer, Caesars Interactive Entertainment (experienced internet operator).
Richard Schuetz, Member, California Gambling Control Commission
Anna Carr, Deputy Director Legislation & Regulatory Affairs Division, California Gambling Control Commission
Stacey Luna Baxter, Assistant Bureau Chief, Bureau of Gambling Control, Department of Justice
Nathan DaValle, Assistant Bureau Chief, Bureau of Gambling Control, Department of Justice
Jeff L. Grubbe, Chairman, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
Leland Kinter, Chairman, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
David Fried, Chief Counsel, California Grand Casino
Lynn “Nay” Valbuena, Chairwoman, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
Eric Hollreiser, Head of Corporate Communications, Amaya Inc.
Keith Sharp, General Counsel to Hawaiian Gardens Casino and iPoker Counsel to Commerce Casino and Bicycle Casino
Keith Brackpool, West Coast Chairman, Stronach Group
Bob Baffert, Thoroughbred Trainer, Board of Directors, Thoroughbred Owners of California
Mike Pegram, Board Chairman, Thoroughbred Owners of California
Mark Macarro, Chairman, Pechanga Band of Luisefio Indians
John Pappas, Executive Director, Poker Players Alliance
Robert Uithoven, Board Member, Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling
The Pokerstars, Morongo and San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and the Commerce, Bicycle and Hawaiian Gardens card clubs alliance, which recently formed the Californians for Responsible iPoker action group (see previous reports) has coincidentally chosen this week to launch an advertising and awareness campaign in California on the benefits of legalisation.
Using radio and online advertising, the organisation explains that licensing and regulation is the most effective response to illegal and uncontrolled online gambling offered widely by offshore operators who contribute nothing to state taxes and projects.
It calls on Californians to contact their political representatives and appeal to them for even-handed and fair regulation and licensing laws.
What the Californians for Responsible iPoker campaign does not do is stoop to the direct attacks on prospective applicants like Pokerstars which the Viejas tribal group perpetrated in radio adverts last week in their bid to ensure that the competitive company is excluded from any Californian internet poker market (see previous reports).