Players have options to sway poker legislation

Persistence often is a good thing and there is no hiding the fact that it can produce results when it's aimed in the right direction.

The persistent organization the Poker Players Alliance was founded in 2005, but its ranks swelled in 2006 after the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Otherwise known as the "bank blocker" bill, the UIGEA makes it difficult to funnel money from bank accounts to online poker sites.

The PPA really doesn't ask for a lot -its only purpose is to protect the rights of poker players and keep the games legal to enjoy. It also may be the only organization in Washington that lobbies to be taxed, believing congressional regulation of online poker would be a good thing.

Former New York Sen. Alfonse D'Amato is the chairman of the PPA, giving the organization considerable political clout. D'Amato's message to members of the organization is to get vocal and get active.

The PPA has a poker advocacy booth set up outside the Amazon Room at the World Series of Poker that makes it easier than ever to campaign for poker.

The booth can be used to send letters directly to members of Congress in addition to local officials where poker may be an issue. Players can even record testimonials of their love of poker, which the PPA will post on its website ( pokerplayersalliance.org)in addition to flooding Congress with the video.

"We have come a long way in educating members of Congress and state elected officials that poker is a game of skill and is not a crime," D'Amato said. "The PPA's booth makes it easy for poker aficionados at the World Series to make their voices heard."

The booth is nice, but the good news is you don't have to be in Las Vegas to access the PPA's services. You don't even have to be a member of the organization. Its website makes it extremely easy to contact any and all elected officials in your area.

At the top of the home page, there is an area where poker enthusiasts can contact their lawmakers. Once the link is activated, politicians at all levels are made available with fax and telephone numbers and valid e-mail addresses.

Players may write their own letter to express their love of poker and their desire to legalize the online game, or they may use a form letter provided by the PPA.

Either way, if you are curious about the stance of your elected officials toward poker or wish to make your case, this is the way to do it.

If the estimated 20 million poker players in the U. S. keep up their letter-writing campaign, lawmakers will have no choice but to take them seriously.

Niagara Falls Review

News Added: 13 June, 2008

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