Pokerstars and its California tribal and cardroom allies have upped the ante in the fight for fair and open online poker legalisation in the Bear State by launching a new Professional Player Tour initiative titled Let California Play!
The initiative will be supported by the www.californians4ipoker.com website launched last month (see previous report).
The drive will see internationally respected poker players Daniel Negreanu, Chris Moneymaker, Vanessa Selbst, Jason Somerville and Liv Boeree touring California card rooms and tribal casinos and playing against local poker fans.
The interaction is designed to give a wide cross-section of the public an opportunity to discuss all aspects of intrastate licensed and regulated internet poker and create awareness on the legislative debate currently taking place in California.
The Let California Play! PokerStars Pro Tour begins July 17 and will continue through the summer, with the dates and venues published on the www.californians4ipoker.com website.
The first outing for the tour will be at Palomar Card Club in San Diego, where general manager Nick Salem says that his players are looking forward to testing their skills against Jason Somerville and Liv Boeree.
“Long term we want to see online poker authorized in California to raise the profile of poker and build a new generation of poker players that will help land based poker rooms thrive,” he said Thursday.
Eric Hollreiser, communications chief for Amaya Gaming and Pokerstars, said:
“Poker players can play an important role in shaping the debate around iPoker in California so we’re looking to spark conversations in poker rooms up and down the state. We have a simple message: Let California Play!”
Hollreiser says that a number of studies have shown that online poker increases interest in poker in general, which in turn increases business at cardrooms and brick and mortar casinos. At the same time, legalisation ensures fair play and the safety of consumers.