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San Joaquin Cardrooms May Gain from Slot Initiative

CALIFORNIA – As reported by the (California) Record: "San Joaquin County's five legal mom-and-pop cardrooms, already benefiting from a resurgent interest in poker, might gain from an initiative to put 30,000 slot machines in 16 California cardrooms and racetracks.

"The largest cardrooms and racetracks in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, such as Golden Gate Fields and Hollywood Park, are pushing the initiative.

"It would not put any slot machines in Stockton.

"But Stockton cardroom owner Dave Lewis said that under the plan, he could receive slot revenue to supplement what he makes as proprietor of the Cameo Club, Stockton's busiest cardroom.

"…The proposed Gaming Revenue Act of 2004 would require gaming tribes to pay California 25 percent of their winnings. If the tribes don't, the 16 cardrooms and race tracks would be granted 30,000 slot machines and would be required to give 33 percent of their slot profits to the state to pay for education and public safety.

"Lewis, a member of the Golden State Gaming Association, a statewide card-club group, said the plan doesn't deal directly with San Joaquin County. Instead, it focuses on the most-populous areas of the state to increase its chances of passage. The initiative needs the signature of about 600,000 registered California voters to qualify for the November ballot.

"…But Joe Melech of Tracy and other owners of small card clubs continue to advocate for a piece of the slot action. Melech's Comstock Club in Tracy is one-fourth the size of the Cameo. And like all cardrooms, the only way the Comstock can make money is to keep dealing cards…"

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