The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, a member of a strong tribal alliance seeking to dominate the debate on internet poker legalisation in California, went on the attack against Pokerstars this week in a radio advertisement that will do little to further the cause of legalisation in the state.
The advertisement singles out Pokerstars and its parent group Amaya Gaming, using half-truths about the Pokerstars indictment in 2011 (on which the company was not convicted and paid a large DoJ settlement) and the still inconclusive Quebec financial regulator investigation into trading in Amaya shares on the run up to that company’s acquisition of the Rational Group.
It urges Californians to contact their political representatives to protest the involvement of Pokerstars in any state legalised online poker market.
The deliberately negative spin of the advertisement begs correction, and it will be interesting to see how Pokerstars and Amaya respond.
Suffice to say that it will do little to foster harmonious and professional relationships among the parties interested in achieving legalisation, or create a favourable impression with politicians.
The Viegas band would like an internet poker legalisation regime that excludes serious competition like Pokerstars or the race tracks, a position that has repeatedly contributed to the failure of legalisation initiatives over the past seven years.