Taxing Online Poker in California
Gamblers aren't the only ones looking to make money from online poker sites these days, as the California state government also has its eyes on taxing the industry as a way to raise much needed revenues. A bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax online poker is being sponsored by Sen. Correa , and it has earned the approval of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, the first time they have endorsed such a bill.
Correa estimates that the amount of money currently being wagered by Californians on overseas unregulated poker sites is around $13 billion. But polling has shown that a majority of Californians would prefer that their poker sites were run by local operators vs. out-of-state, and a majority also supported more regulation and taxation of the industry.