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Forget that another year has come and gone without passage of online poker legislation in the state of California. Don’t tell that to the Santa Ysabel Gaming Commission, which plans to turn its free-to-play online poker site into one where customers can play for real money some time between August 26 and 28.
The site is PrivateTable.com and the Ysabel Gaming Commission believes it will be fully compliant with current regulations that only permit those physically located in California to play. One must be 18 years of age or older.
“In offering online gaming through Santa Ysabel Interactive, the Tribe is exerting its sovereign right under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to regulate and conduct Class II gaming from the tribe’s reservation,” an earlier statement read. “Class II gaming, as defined by IGRA, includes poker and bingo, but does not include slot-based games or house-banked games, such as blackjack.”
Santa Ysabel Gaming Commission Chairman Dave Vialpando reiterated the Tribe’s stance in an exclusive interview with CardPlayer.com over the weekend.
“Our authority to offer class II gaming from our reservation is not prohibited by any statute,” he stated. “In fact, we believe it is covered by IGRA. We have been fully cooperative with all the government agencies that have asked us questions, in fact with anyone who has asked us questions. Most of our regulations are public documents, so it’s pretty much full disclosure for us. We did form an alliance with the California Council on Problem Gambling and we have just put the finishing touches on what we think is a model responsible gambling program for internet gaming providers. We will be rolling that out shortly. We are moving full speed ahead.”
Two bills were introduced in the California legislation to permit online gambling in the state. Neither passed by this year’s legislative deadline.
When asked why no other tribe in the state had considered offering real money online poker prior to now, Vialpando suggested it was more about economics than fear of federal retribution.
“What I have heard is that some tribes are reluctant to do online gaming not because they fear the government but because they worry about the adverse effect it could have on their brick-and-mortar enterprises. So folks, some of the smaller tribes, are perfectly satisfied with the revenues being generated from their land-based casinos, and they have no intention to enter online gaming.”
The Santa Ysabel Tribe recently shut down its own brick and mortar casino outside of San Diego.
The rollout for its real money platform will be slow and strategic.
"The product we have right now is absolutely solid. We are very confident with it. As soon as we develop that customer loyalty we are going to be looking to expand—all within the confines of what is permitted by law."
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
