SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis on Tuesday appointed four members to the state Gambling Control Commission, a new body with wide-ranging authority over California's multibillion-dollar card club industry and some jurisdiction over Indian casinos.
The appointees are John E. Hensley, 57, of Los Angeles; Arlo Smith, 72, of San Francisco; Michael C. Palmer, 51, of Los Angeles; and J.K. Sasaki, 51, of San Francisco. Hensley will chair the commission, which was born out of legislation by state Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer when he served in the state Senate.
Lockyer's measure called for the creation of a five-member commission as of Jan. 1, 1999. Nonetheless, a spokesman for Lockyer described Tuesday's announcement as "very timely."
"The Gambling Control Commission provides a great deal of policy direction on how gambling enforcement activities will be conducted in the state," said Lockyer spokesman Nathan Barankin. "With newly negotiated compacts and ongoing needs of California card rooms, having a commission in place at this point is a very good thing."
Still to be appointed by Davis is a public member of the commission.
Each position requires Senate confirmation, and members will receive a $109,799 salary.
Davis announced the appointments as California is entering a new era in gambling, due partly to casino operating agreements, or compacts, that Davis struck with more than 50 Indian tribes. Dozens of new or lavishly upgraded casinos are expected on reservations across California in coming months.
The commission will oversee some aspects of Indian-run gambling, including reviewing the backgrounds of vendors who sell slot machines to the tribes.
The commission, said Harlan Goodson, director of the division of gambling control in Lockyer's office, also acts as trustee of a special revenue-sharing fund for distribution of money to non-gambling tribes. The account is estimated to hold more than $35 million.
Lockyer's legislation also called for commission members to have broad powers to monitor, license and oversee the card club industry.
"With the signing of the compacts, [the commission members] are going to have a lot to do," said Rodney Blonien, a lobbyist for the Commerce Club, a card club in Commerce.
Blonien estimated that card club matters will constitute about 20% of the commission's work and that the casinos will make up the bulk.
