More than 100 LA-area cardroom employees and supporters gathered Wednesday, Dec. 6, in Fullerton to protest a bill they fear could fuel wide-ranging job and revenue losses for their industry.
The rally was held outside the office of Democratic state Sen. Josh Newman whose Senate Bill 549 — otherwise known as the Tribal Declaratory Relief Act of 2023 — has reignited a decades-long conflict between tribal casinos and cardroom operators.
Opponents of the bill say the casinos are simply looking for a way to squash competition from cardrooms.
Federally recognized tribes have the freedom to offer slot machines, lottery games and “banked” card games — like traditional blackjack, in which the casino acts as the bank handling wagers.
