California should allow for online gaming evolution – Vialpando

Dave Vialpando, the Chairman of the Santa Ysabel Tribal Gaming Commission, has called on California to legalise online gaming in order to allow the US state’s wider gambling market to evolve.

Vialpando, ahead of his speaking appearance at GiGse next month in San Francisco, California, said that online gaming remains a “natural evolution” of gaming and to deny such opportunities would be “counterproductive to consumer demand”.

Vialpando will participate in an Open Space discussion on ‘Regulation, Policy & Public Awareness’ at GiGse – part of a new meeting and networking format at the event.

“I fully support legal, well-regulated online gaming in California, as long as all potential entrants are afforded the opportunity to enter the market and artificial legislative barriers which serve no other purpose than exclusion to limit competition are kept out of the legislation,” Vialpando said. 

“I believe the chances of legislation being enacted in California this year are slim.

“Too many potential entrants to this market, including the state, are too busy trying to guide the structure of legislation to maximise the benefit to the constituency they represent, often to the exclusion or detriment of others, rather than concentrating on crafting a framework which best serves the needs of the gaming public.”

At GiGse, Vialpando will engage in the discussion alongside the likes of Richard Schuetz, Commissioner of the California Gaming Control Commission, in the Open Space discussion.

“All of the relevant stakeholders need to concentrate on the areas of common ground, recognise that there will be plenty of business advantage to go around, rely on proven experienced experts in the industry to help craft a well-regulated (not over-regulated) industry which will benefit everyone,” he added.