Legislation Advances Giving Native American Casinos Legal Right to Sue Cardrooms in California
By: Rich - A seasoned scribe specializing in sports, sports betting, and casinos since 2015.
The Clock is Ticking
- SB549 made it through the California Senate with a 32-2 vote by the deadline of August 31.
- The bill now rests on Governor Newsom's desk, eagerly awaiting his signature.
- This bill could potentially lead to the loss of up to 32,000 jobs, according to the California Gaming Association.
Your Trusted Insider
As a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a degree in English/Journalism, I've been dishing out the goods since '15. With a knack for sports, betting, and online casinos, I leaped into the casino writing world in 2018 following the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Since then, I've been cranking out a plethora of casino-related content, from how-to guides and online casino reviews to breaking news and bonus/promotion overviews. I'm all about keeping you in the knows of the ever-evolving online casino industry!
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Find out more about the bigger picture:
- The Current Landscape of SB 549: SB 549, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2024, offers California's gaming tribes the right to sue cardrooms over disputed table games. Tribes filed their lawsuits on January 1, 2025, asserting their exclusive rights to these games, as granted by California voters[1][2].
- Possible Fallout: If tribes win the lawsuit, it could have a considerable impact on local economies, as many cities rely on taxes from cardrooms to fund their essential services such as police and firefighters[1]. Cardrooms have long operated these games with the California Department of Justice's approval[2].
- Legal Battle: The California Gaming Association, representing cardrooms, has challenged the constitutionality of SB 549, arguing it is preempted by federal law and conflicts with constitutional principles[2]. The court is set to hear arguments on these motions on August 8, 2025[2]. The current legal battle sheds light on the ongoing competition between tribes and cardrooms in California's gaming industry.
- If SB 549 is signed into law, it may trigger a shift in California's gaming landscape, potentially encouraging some poker enthusiasts to head to Las Vegas casinos for online card games, sports betting, and jackpot games, as they seek an alternative to local cardrooms under threat.
- Remarkably, the outcome of the legal battle between California's gaming tribes and cardrooms over SB 549 could have rippling effects across various sectors, including the booming online casino industry, with its potential impact on sports betting and other card games perhaps driving some operators to look for opportunities in other states or even expand their online presence.
- The California Senator's passage of SB 549 marks a significant step, but the future viability of cardrooms amidst the looming legal battles and potential dominance of online casinos in conjunction with sports betting remains unclear - a spectacle that betters across the nation should keep their eyes on, as it may stir new trends in casino-and-gambling practices.
