Former Morongo spokesman joins rival
Patrick Dorinson becomes executive director of Poker Voters of America, that is pushing a rival internet poker bill in California.
The former communications chief for the Morongo and California Card Room-led coalition seeking to authorise online poker in the state has joined the lobby group pushing a rival bill as executive director.
Poker Voters of America today announced that Patrick Dorinson, former spokesman for the California Online Poker Association (COPA), a coalition of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and Southern California card clubs, had joined the lobby group with immediate effect.
As reported by eGaming Review, both COPA and lobby group Poker Voters of America introduced bills last month which would establish regulatory frameworks for online poker within the State, as enabled under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act 2006. Both bills are scheduled to be considered by California legislators during the current legislative session.
Poker Voters of America president Melanie Brenner, said: “We are excited to have [Patrick’s] knowledge, communications skills and strong media relationships as we push for intrastate legislation in 2011 “ the only realistic path to US legalisation and regulation now that efforts to pass both the Frank and Reid internet gaming bills have failed on the Federal level.”
Dorinson said he was “excited and honoured” to join Poker Voters’ drive to authorise intrastate poker in California and in other US states, such as Florida, where Poker Voters last year helped draft a bill introduced by Representative Joseph Abruzzo. “There is much common ground among all the factions that want to help create a legal internet poker system that protects consumers, provides much-needed revenue to the state and creates opportunities for all gaming tribes and licensed card clubs”, said Dorinson.
“I have always believed that in order for internet poker to be politically viable and successful in California, there needs to be an open and competitive system”, he added, referring to the Morongo’s efforts to bring card clubs and other gaming tribes into their coalition while also refusing to support Senator Rod Wright’s bill in June last year on the basis it would have opened the bidding process to operate online poker hubs in the state to competitive tender.
Poker Voters said in its statement today that COPA’s advocacy of legislation “to grant COPA members an exclusive monopoly contract to operate online poker in California”¦.would exclude participation by some of the state’s largest gaming tribes and nearly a hundred licensed card clubs.”
Dorinson said he believed the State would be able to “get this done quickly this year if all sides can put aside differences, come together and do what’s best for California.” California’s budget deficit is currently on track to reach US$25bn by the end of the current financial year in April.