Sacramento Business Journal – State lawmakers have introduced competing legislation to legalize online poker. California has seen several attempts to legalize the game over the last five years, but the state’s powerful tribes opposed the legislation out of fear that online gaming would encroach on their brick-and-mortar casinos. The bills never made it out of committee. But in a development that is similar to the anti-marijuana lobby’s can’t-beat-them-then-join-them attitude, the tribes are coming around, said one Capitol staffer. It isn’t difficult to sign up for online poker today — the U.S. has seen a proliferation of illegal digital gaming from…

Poker News – California Assemblyman Isadore Hall told Tribal leaders and gaming interests at Thursday’s iGaming Legislative Symposium in Sacramento that he believes there is still a chance for Internet poker legislation to pass in the Golden State during 2014. He also indicated that the Assembly would be holding an informational hearing on the issue in the next few weeks. Hall, who was the keynote speaker to open the event, serves as chair of the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee, which includes gambling-related concerns. Two poker-only bills were introduced in the California legislature last week at the deadline to submit new…

From iGaming Business c from the Winnemucca Indian Colony in Nevada has called on tribal groups in neighbouring California to oppose the passage of that western state’s proposed intra-state online gambling bill. The Winnemucca Indian Colony recently launched the ShonEcasino.com online gaming brand in partnership with tribal-owned specialist iGaming turnkey solutions provider GEObet Online Network and Bills announced that he wants the indigenous tribes of California to strengthen their sovereignty by resisting the measure from California State Senator Roderick Wright. “I believe Senator Wright is doing his best to bring forth the legalisation of online gaming to the state of…