BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) \u2014 In early February, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced regulations on California casinos banning traditional card games like blackjack.<\/p>\n
In response, the state\u2019s cardroom industry filed two lawsuits last week, and on Monday, requested an injunction of relief to hold off any changes until legal matters are settled.<\/p>\n
Watch 17 News, After Sunrise and more local news free on your smart TV. Click to learn more about KGET+ <\/a><\/p>\n The changes take effect Wednesday, but casinos have until July 1 to comply. Kyle Kirkland, president of the California Gambling Association, believes the changes are unreasonable.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like going to you and saying, \u2018Hey if I cut off one leg and one arm, how are you doing?\u2019 It\u2019s a pretty significant impact,\u201d said Kirkland.<\/p>\n That\u2019s because cardrooms rely heavily on profits from traditional card games.<\/p>\n According to the Attorney General\u2019s own assessment, the regulations would eliminate at least 50% of cardroom jobs and revenue.<\/p>\n Kirkland thinks it could be much more.<\/p>\n \u201cFifty, sixty, seventy percent of our revenue is dramatic,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to rethink how we operate and that also has a significant cascade effect in terms of jobs and tax revenue to cities.\u201d<\/p>\n A caveat is that casinos on tribal land, like the Hard Rock Casino Tejon, won\u2019t be affected, but according to the CBA, more than 70 cardrooms and 20,000 workers across the state, will be.<\/p>\n