Poker Players Alliance in DC
My computer skills are weak but this is the email sent by Poker Player Alliance sent out this week. It mentions bill in the works.
Yesterday, PPA State Directors, State PPA advocates, along with poker pros Greg Raymer, Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher joined me to meet with over 130 members of Congress in their offices in Washington D.C. to discuss the merits of licensing and regulation of online poker here in the U.S. We had many excellent face to face conversations with members from both sides of the aisle, and I believe our efforts made a big difference in advancing our cause.
Later in the day, a crowd of poker advocates from the surrounding areas participated in the Rally for Internet Poker on the front lawn of the U.S. Capitol. We were honored to have two of poker’s biggest advocates join us at the rally – Congressman John Campbell (R-CA), sponsor of HR1174, Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, as well as Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX). Representative Barton announced to the cheering crowd that he has been working closely with the PPA in drafting legislation to license and regulate online poker and is committed to introducing it in the very near future.
This is great news for the online poker community, and the PPA is grateful that Congressman Barton is committed to doing all he can to help protect the freedoms of poker players and help reverse the negative impacts of Black Friday.
If you would like to read what several of the top newspapers had to say about our efforts yesterday, links can be found below
USA Today –“Online poker advocates demonstrate on Capitol Hill”
Washington Times –“ Poker partisans up ante with a protest”
The Hill – “Republican drawing up bill to legalize and regulate online poker sites”
I would also like to thank the thousands of PPA members who took time over the past month to send over 90,000 letters to their members of Congress expressing their support for licensing and regulation of online poker. Additionally, I’d like to thank all the PPA members that have scheduled meetings with their elected officials in their district offices. Your efforts are essential to the PPA’s mission.
Proud to play,
Senator Alfonse D’Amato
PPA Chairman
