California tribe launches real-money poker site

California tribe Santa Ysabel has launched a real-money poker site, licensed by its own regulatory body, the Santa Ysabel Gambling Commission.

The tribe had been running free-play poker at PrivateTable.com but has chosen not to wait for California to legalise and regulate the real-money market.

A statement said: “The Tribe supports the effort by the legislature to enact interactive gambling legislation in the state, but has decided to rely on the tribal sovereignty and the provisions of the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) to offer I-poker from the Tribe’s reservation."

Santa Ysabel has run a casino from the reservation in San Diego County since 2003.

The tribe says it currently has no plans to offer any slots or other house-backed games online but will "consider offering other gaming consistent with IGRA”.

Only residents of California over the age of 18 will be able to deposit money on the site.

As well as normal methods, players can deposit with Bitcoin or in the tribe's smoke shop.