PokerStars and Luiseno Indians launch California online poker effort

The Pro Tour will feature a host of tournaments, demonstrations, and meet and greets at various poker venues across California.

The first event will take place at the Palomar Card Club in San Diego on July 17, with eight more Pro Tour stops to follow during its first month.

“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,” PokerStars’ head of corporate communications Eric Hollreiser said.

Daniel Negreanu, one of the professional poker players who will appear at events on the Pro Tour, added: “It’s really important for poker players to make their voices heard among the decision makers in California and tell them ‘Let California Play’.

The ‘Let California Play’ initiative is part of a wider effort from the online gaming operator to promote the advantages of an open and fair internet poker market in the state.

The move comes after last month that PokerStars is to team up with various tribal casinos and cardrooms in California to launch an online poker coalition. PokerStars will be gathering support for the ‘Californians for Responsible iPoker’ coalition during the new Pro Tour.

Meanwhile, the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians has established a new website that will provide updates on the status of all current online poker legislation in the state. The ‘Californians for Internet Poker’ site will also feature a brief history of prior legislation, in addition to relevant economic studies and news stories.