In a move anticipated by many, bwin.party and the United Auburn Indian Community has announced plans to offer online poker in California should the proper legislation be passed in the state.
On the surface, this partnership appears to be the perfect match. Bwin is well known for its online prowess in the poker industry. On the other hand, the United Auburn Indian Community currents operates the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Sacramento, California.
Under current legislation proposed in the state of California, the United Auburn Indian Community would qualify as a license applicant since the organization is a federally recognized tribe that is currently operating in the gambling space within the state.
With the United Auburn Indian Community taking care of the licensing part of the deal, bwin.party will step in and handle the technology and support side. The two parties have agreed to work together for 10 years, starting on the date that the service is launched.
Earlier this year, California senators proposed legislation – the Internet Gambling Consumer Protection Act and Public-Private Partnership Act of 2012 – that would regulate online gaming in the state. The only “catch” is the proposed Internet poker tax. With this, a 10 percent tax on all gross gaming revenue would be implemented.
bwin.party released the following statement:
“California is the largest state in the U.S. in terms of population and is known to have a significant number of poker players who like to play poker online. Combining our own significant assets and resources with those of UAIC will create a strong partnership that is well-placed to seize the opportunities that will arise if appropriate online poker legislation is enacted in the Golden State.”
As you can see, bwin.party did not jump into this move blindly. They are well aware of the popularity of poker in California, and are hoping to cash in at some point in the future.
Of course, things are on hold for the time being. Right now, everybody has to sit back and wait to see how the legal side of the process unfolds.