To the surprise of no one, the insider trading charges filed by Canadian regulators against former Amaya CEO David Baazov (Baazov has taken a voluntary leave of absence from his position as CEO and Chairman of the Board) are already having a negative impact on efforts to pass an internet poker bill in California, and in keeping with one of the vital comments popping out of the Golden State, it will result in a huge shakeup some of the coalitions that experience formed between certain stakeholders.

The situation PokerStars is now facing has bolstered the company’s detractors, evidenced by tribal lobbyist David Quintana’s statement to veteran California gaming reporter Dave Palermo, wherein Quintana said, “Now they [Amaya/PokerStars] are even dirtier than we thought they were.” But an excellent more shocking development than the schadenfreude PokerStars opponents are undertaking is the wedge that looks to be forming between PokerStars and its previously ironclad coalition of California card rooms and tribes.

As was first reported by Palermo, Lynn Valbuena, the chair of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians (a PokerStars-allied tribe), was quoted as saying, “San Manuel has deep concerns about these latest Amaya revelations” at a gathering between tribal leaders and Assemblyman Adam Gray. “Our council is calling into this and we will be able to come back to all of you.” Consistent with Palermo’s reporting, the statements caught the opposite members of the PokerStars coalition – the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the United Auburn Indian Community, the Bicycle Casino, Commerce Casino, and Hawaiian Gardens Casino – by surprise.

There are several contingency plans PokerStars’ current brick and mortar partners could implement in the event that they think the location with PokerStars is untenable and choose to transport on from the company.

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