California Cardrooms Protest as Bill Advances Allowing Tribes to Sue
Over 100 demonstrators gathered in Sacramento, Calif. Tuesday to protest against legislation they say could cost California cardrooms thousands of jobs, iGB reports. Despite protestations, the bill was advanced 15-1 by the California Assembly’s Governmental Organization Committee.
Senate Bill 549, also known as the Tribal Nations Access to Justice Act, would allow California tribal casino operators a window in which to sue the state’s 84 licensed cardrooms. The tribes claim the card clubs are offering games that violate their exclusivity on house-banked games, such as blackjack and Pai Gow poker.
They want the courts to shut down the games, but as sovereign nations tribes typically cannot sue or be sued in a state court. That’s because, generally speaking, state courts lack jurisdiction over the tribes. SB 549 would authorize the tribes to seek limited declaratory and relief action to determine whether the games, known as “California games,” violate their rights.
License to Shill
California games are versions of popular casino table games that take a rake from each hand while allowing players to play in the dealer position — just like in a regular poker cash game.
But the cardrooms also hire third-party companies, which must be state-licensed, to “shill” in the dealer spot because regular players don’t always want to act as the dealer.
