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Council Watch
City Council votes to restrict cardroom hours in SJ
Employees say new limits would cause hardships
By Jessica Lyons
City Council last week voted to limit cardroom bets and hours, a decision that would effectively end 24-hour gambling in San Jose.
Council members, voting 8-3, decided to prohibit gambling between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., to prevent cardroom patrons who don't have a seat at the table from placing bets and to restrict the number of $200 bets patrons can make on California games.
The cardroom limits, however, will not go into effect until August 2001, giving San Jose's two cardrooms, Bay 101 and Garden City, nearly two years to fight the restrictions. The two clubs may seek further extensions if they can prove the new rules will create an undue financial hardship on their businesses.
Cardroom employees protested the restrictions, saying the new hours and betting limits will put them out of jobs. "There are ways to help compulsive gamblers without hurting the workers," Enrique Fernandez told the council.
Laura Powers, a card dealer at Bay 101, also urged the council to keep round-the-clock gambling in San Jose. Late-night hours ensure she will be employed and can provide for her son. "All my son has is me, his school and his social life," she said, reading her son's straight-A report card. "He's a great kid. He's doing well ... you're going to screw this up. Please don't change a thing."
The San Jose Police Department, on the other hand, argued that cardrooms attract crime and encourage compulsive gambling. "It is very clear to us that cardrooms are associated with bookmaking, loan sharking and money laundering," Police Chief Bill Lansdowne said. "They [cardrooms] bring in the type of crime the city doesn't want, and they induce people to gamble."
Council member Frank Fiscalini, who represents Willow Glen, voted against the restrictions, as did council members Cindy Chavez and Charlotte Powers. Fiscalini says the cardrooms have a legal right to operate.
"Fundamentally, I have very real problems with closing an operation down that hasn't demonstrated it has broken the law," Fiscalini said.
The limitations will not discourage compulsive gamblers, he says, but they will put cardroom jobs in jeopardy. "I have great concern over the people who will be laid off, particularly the single moms," Fiscalini said. "They are the sole supporters of their family. They are the sole parent rearing their child. They need the flexible hours, the good salary and the good benefits. I don't see any valid reason to deny them the opportunity to work there if that's their choice."
The cardroom restrictions will return to City Council in two weeks. If the council votes to approve the new limits, they will become law.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
