Calling the Clock: Graham Introduces RAWA Bill; Bwin Sell WPT, and WSOP Round Up

Lee Davy sips a smoothie whilst bringing you a round up of all the week’s poker news, including another meeting that achieved nothing on the future of online poker in California, news of a second RAWA bill, Bwin sell WPT to Ourgame, and much more.

The California State Assembly’s Governmental Organization Committee held another hearing this week. The coven was branded with the title: The Legality of Internet Poker: How Prepared is California to Regulate It? Our very own Steven Stradbrooke wasted four and a half hours of his life. I think the answer is ‘not very.’

Lock Poker played an unexpected starring role, as evidence of the havoc that can ensue if online poker isn’t regulated. PokerStars were also dragged around the room, as is standard when the words ‘Bad Actor’ are uttered in the same sentence as ‘Online Poker in America’. Californian Gambling Control Commission member Richard Schuetz offered the only useful sentence when he said the only bad actor he knew was former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. At least it made Stradbrooke laugh, thus stopping him from falling to sleep.

Sticking with the battle to regulate online poker in America, Republican Senator, Lindsey Graham, introduced a Senate version of the Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA) this week. The only differences noted from the RAWA bill put forward by Republican Jason Chaffetz, were special carve outs to appease the state lotteries, and support land based casinos rights to offer mobile gaming.