Senator Lou Correa presented his amended bill to the US Senate Committee on Governmental Organisation on Tuesday.

The bill seeks to authorise intrastate online poker in California and Correa told the Senate Committee that it could generate US$250m in new revenue for the state this year, but only if it is passed before detrimental federal legislation locks the state out of the online poker market.

He based the need for SB40 on several points, including the need for new revenue in California this year to prevent triggers in the state budget, the need to protect consumers from fraud and theft and the need to pass online poker legislation before dangerous federal proposals are able to pass Congress.

American Gaming Association president Frank Fahrenkopf revealed at the World Gaming Executive Summit in Madrid recently that a poker-only bill, which would place industry oversight into the hands of the Department of Commerce, is expected to be introduced after the Congressional summer break.