The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, which is part of a coalition that support online poker in California, but opposes participation by PokerStars, which is a partner in another coalition, last week debuted a series of radio ads attacking PokerStars, comparing it to an “online conmen.”
The ad comes as the California legislature is preparing to delve deeply into the minutiae of online poker with two subcommittee meetings, one on June 24 when the joint Assembly/Senate Government Organization Committee meets and July 8 when the Assembly’s GO committee meets.
The radio ad declares, “The California legislature should be trying to stop internet scam artists and conmen,” instead of, the ad implies, empowering them by allowing the participation of PokerStars.
It also warns that if online poker is approved that PokerStars could gain access to digital platforms and phones throughout the state, implying the potential for identity theft.
Many who oppose PokerStars participation and support a “bad actor” provision in the proposal California law, point to the fact that PokerStars remained in the U.S. market after the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) went into effect.
Supporters and some opponents who have changed their minds about PokerStars cite its supposed “maturing” as an online real money poker provider in offshore websites and, as columnist John Mahaffey puts it, “The fact that PokerStars has always met its obligations, even in the face of Black Friday.”
The company paid Full Tilt players who lost $334 million due to the Black Friday raid by the U.S. Justice Department. It also settled with the Justice Department, although not admitting to any wrongdoing. However, the settlement is cited in the ads as further proof the company’s “bad actor” status.
They also note that the company was acquired by Amaya last year, and so, to all intents and purposes, is a different company.
The ad campaign is the latest move in the chess game between various players who want online poker, but don’t want some other players to participate.
It follows a recent California gaming conference where Viejas and its partners were criticized for their opposition not only to PokerStars, but also to the participation by racetracks, which are agitating strongly for a place at the table.
The ad ratchets up the rhetoric a few notches by implying a lack of faith among those who support PokerStars. It also signals lawmakers that the issue is contentious, and might, in the view of some political observers, make it harder for them to support any kind of bill.
