The Poker Players Alliance conducted a survey in California focused on PokerStars, the largest online poker site in the world which vacated the US market on Black Friday. “We have heard from many of you regarding the future of PokerStars in the United States, so we wish to get a sense of the community to help guide our decision-making,” the survey said. The results were, on virtually every front, positive for PokerStars.

Of the 1,229 people who responded to the survey, 92% (1,134) had played real money or play money poker on PokerStars. When it came to the experience of players with the site, 82% (1,006) responded that they had an excellent or very good experience. On the question of integrity, 82% (997) strongly agreed or agreed that PokerStars demonstrated integrity, and that same figure rated PokerStars’ treatment of players when it operated in the United States as excellent or very good.

The last two questions addressed Californians’ opinions on PokerStars and its potential in the state. When asked if PokerStars should be allowed to be licensed in California, 95% of respondents (1,153) answered in the affirmative and, when asked if they would play on a PokerStars-operated site or one driven by PokerStars’ software, the same percentage of people said yes.

This has led the PPA to pen an opinion on the proposed “bad actor” language that has been circulating in the halls of Sacramento as the state tries to conjure online poker legislation. In a letter entitled “California ‘Bad Actor’ Provisions Will Hurt Consumer Choice, Experience,” the PPA stated, “Language to exclude certain operators from the California internet poker market is not supported by the poker playing community. Rather, in the opinion of players, the question of suitability should be left to state gaming regulators whom have traditionally served as the gold standard for determining the suitability of operators.”

Suitability should be about good character, honesty, integrity, and financial suitability,” the PPA letter concluded. “These factors have been sorted out by gaming regulators for decades and it has worked very well in the brick-and-mortar environment. It is the PPA’s position that regulators should maintain their role to make these determinations and should be able to do so independent of external political or competitive pressures. This will ultimately result in the strongest market for the consumer.”

Currently in California, the battle lines have been drawn between factions that are looking to prevent PokerStars from participating in any online poker industry. Thirteen Indian Tribes have offered a draft bill that contains extensive “bad actor” language that would prevent PokerStars from entering the industry.

One Tribe, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, has signed a deal, along with the Commerce Casino, Bicycle Casino, and Hawaiian Gardens, to use PokerStars in some form if legislation were passed. The difference of opinion regarding PokerStars and its involvement in any future California online poker industry threatens to derail a process that has, over the past five years, moved in incremental phases, at best.

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