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As the house passes a bill to block internet poker sites and online gambling the poker community seems to have went on "tilt". But the madness that first came from the "bad beat" soon subsided and the poker community has gone on offense hoping to turn the tables on the house. The Poker Players Alliance has led the charge on this bill going "all in" with their ace in the hole, poker super star Howard Lederer, who recently joined the Poker Player's Alliance board of directors in June. This is just one more attack on the sport of poker in general. In addition to the recent onslaught on online poker, regular poker players have been fighting this war on another front. In some states it is legal to play poker in bars, but most states have a cap on the amount you can win. For example, in PokerTipsFromThePros.com's home state of Iowa you are allowed to win only $50 in a 24 hour period. A major argument against this from the real time poker players is the fact that you can pay an entry fee just like you would in a poker tournament, with the option to win as much money as you can. You can win money and trophies in pool leagues with little concern or oversight. And even softball players can put up money to enter tournaments with the ability to win money back without government interference. Given the debatable statement from real time poker players that poker is a skill, not just mindless gambling, it should be viewed no different than the examples given. But probably the most convincing argument poker advocates can fire at the state and federal government is the fact that if both online or real time poker is banned then the game will just go underground and the state and federal government will lose out in possibly billions of tax dollars given the recent popularity of the game. The Poker Player's Alliance has sited a recent poll showing that 75% of people opposed a ban on internet poker. If you would like to advocate the game of poker you can click on the Poker Player's Alliance website links to learn how to join the organization. Below are several articles taken from the Poker Player's Alliance website relating to this controversial issue including the results from a recent poll on the matter:
House Passes
Internet Poker Ban Washington, D.C.(July 11, 2006) - Michael Bolcerek, president of the Poker Players Alliance, released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would prohibit Americans from playing poker on the Internet. "We are disappointed that the House of Representatives would assail the rights of Americans to enjoy the great game of poker on the Internet. It is unconscionable that a skill game like poker gets swept into the net of prohibition, while online horse betting and Internet lotteries get free passes," said Mr. Bolcerek. "The United States should follow the lead of the United Kingdom by regulating and taxing online poker, not banning it. An economic analysis just released by our organization shows that U.S. regulation of online poker has the potential to raise more than $3.3 billion in annual revenue for the federal government, in addition to another $1 billion for state coffers. We hope that this analysis will give a fresh perspective for U.S. Senators about the benefits of regulation. "The Poker Players Alliance is undeterred in its mission to promote and protect the game of poker and we will continue to advance the cause on behalf of poker players in the United States."
Gambling Ban Doubles Down On
Hypocrisy In full disclosure, I make my living playing poker. But this bill does something much worse than threaten my livelihood. It offends common sense - by trying to ban something that is already enjoyed bymillions of Americans and is legal in other forms. And it is as hypocritical a piece of legislation as Washington has produced in a long time. That's saying a lot. Get this. While the sponsors of the bill call it a "prohibition," the legislation actually clears a path for certain favored types of Internet gambling. For example, the bill affirmatively legalizes online bets on horse races, Internet state lotteries and certain fantasy sports. I am baffled at how the House can protect online activities like lotteries and betting on horses while sweeping a skill game like poker into the net of prohibition. Anyone who plays poker knows that, live or online, the game demands a keen understanding of mathematics, basic human psychology and the ability to use experience and skill to think quickly in innumerable situations. On the other hand, lotteries, which the bill protects, teach us that someone has to get lucky - and please, please let it be me. The only reason to protect lotteries is because they generate tax income through regulation. In that case, I can only hope that Congress will consider licensing, regulating and taxing online poker in the United States. Supposedly, the authors of the bill view it as a rebuke to the work of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who lobbied against and helped defeat a previous attempt to ban online gambling. But here is one of those "only in Washington" moments: The bill contains the exact same exemption for state lotteries that Abramoff was fighting for on behalf of his client. The House has passed precisely the bill Abramoff wanted. An analysis conducted by the nonprofit Poker Players Alliance shows that regulation of online poker could raise more than $3.3 billion in annual revenue for the federal government and an additional $1 billion for state coffers. Poker should not be a casualty of a misguided attempt to prohibit an activity that should simply be regulated. Lederer has had 30 money finishes in the World Series of Poker. PPA and
PocketFives.com Team Up to Blitz Congress with
Emails and Letters Contact: Washington D.C.(June 12, 2006) – The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), a grassroots organization of 27,000 American poker players, today announced that it is working with a leading online poker forum,PocketFives.com, to send thousands of messages to Congress prior to a vote the would ban online poker. On Thursday, June 15th, PocketFives.com will be hosting a “Write Your Congressman Day,” driving its more than 14,000 subscribers to contact their members of Congress and tell them to oppose H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act. Utilizing software on the Poker Players Alliance Web site, individuals will be able to send letters and e-mails directly to their elected officials by visiting www.pocketfives.com. PocketFives.com represents the voice of the online poker player. “We are pleased that PocketFives.com is working with us, in a coordinated effort, to make the voice of the online poker players heard on Capitol Hill. I strongly believe that if enough people speak up we can protect the great game of poker,” said Michael Bolcerek, president of the Poker Players Alliance. Recently, PocketFives.com hosted Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) on its weekly Podcast radio program. During the show, Congressman Frank stressed the importance of citizens contacting their members of Congress, “Members of Congress pay close attention to members of their districts. If everyone wrote to their one Representative and two Senators, and said ‘I will be very dissatisfied and vote against you if you vote for this bill,’ that will go a long way.” PocketFives.com is a website dedicated to the discussion and advancement of online poker based in Nashville, Tennessee. It has over 14,000 members and includes public discussion forums, exclusive content written by some of online poker’s biggest superstars, a player database where members can learn about their peers, and a weekly half-hour online radio show. Michael Bolcerek will be a guest on this week’s radio show available on Thursday, June 15th. To listen to the Podcast, go to www.pocketfives.com and click on “P5s Podcast.” The Poker Players Alliance www.pokerplayersalliance.org is a non-profit organizations advocating on behalf of American poker players. Poker Players Alliance Renews Objection to Internet Gambling Ban, Points to Survey as Support Poll Finds Nearly 75% of the Public Opposes Federal Ban For Immediate ReleaseContact: Anne Crago 202.715.1566 Michael Bolcerek michaelb@pokerplayersalliance.org Washington D.C. (April 4, 2006) - At a roundtable panel discussion today, The Poker Players Alliance, a grassroots organization of more than 20,000 American poker players, renewed its objection to online gambling prohibition, highlighting a new survey by ICR market research that finds nearly 75 percent of Americans oppose moves by Congress to ban Internet poker. A more detailed breakdown of poll results follows this release. "The new poll results are a clear illustration of the public's feelings on this issue. Simply put, people don't want their member of Congress telling them what they can and cannot do in their own home-especially when it comes to a game that's as all-American as jazz or basketball," said Michael Bolcerek, president of the Poker Players Alliance. Three of the biggest names in poker-Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson and Greg Raymer-and Radley Balko of the Cato Institute joined Bolcerek on the panel, each explaining why efforts to ban online gambling are misguided. "We are here today to speak about the growing threat to poker as it relates to the online game," said Bolcerek. "We are here to defend the game and express our opposition to Congress' efforts to kill the sport and restrict our civil liberties." The Poker Players Alliance opposes any effort to limit the rights of poker players to enjoy the game as they do today whether it is online, at a poker club or in the privacy of their own homes. The Poker Players Alliance www.pokerplayersalliance.org is a non-profit organizations advocating on behalf of American poker players. The following survey was conducted on March 29, 2006 by ICR, an independent market research supplier located in Media, PA. The results reflect a randomly selected group of 964 adults. Those selected were read a series of questions and asked to respond with "yes," "no," or "I don't know." The results of the survey are listed below. Question #1: "Should the federal government prevent Americans from playing poker?"
Question #2: "Should the federal government prevent Americans from playing poker in Las Vegas?"
Question #3: "Should the federal government prevent Americans from playing poker in Casinos on Indian Reservations?"
Question #4: "Should the federal government prevent Americans from playing poker for charitable fundraisers?"
Question #5: "Should the federal government prevent Americans from playing poker on the Internet?"
Question #6: "Should the federal government prevent Americans from playing poker in the privacy of your own home?"
Question #7: "Do you believe the federal government should be managing Americans gambling behaviors on the Internet?"
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United States
poker players can still play online poker at
fulltilt
& can still deposit funds using MyWebATM
Poker Players Freeze Out Iowa Republican Candidate Jim Leach
Is poker a game of
chance or skill? English pub owner Derek Kelley takes his
argument to court. Neteller & eCheck back out of accepting United States Deposits January 18th due to the ban. Several other payment processors however are still accepting United States customers such as MyWebATM.
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Neteller & eCheck back out of accepting United States Deposits January 18th due to the ban. Several other payment processors however are still accepting United States customers such as MyWebATM.
