Growing Support For Online Poker

There has been a growing support base for online poker players from all across America and our rights to fund the games that we love to play. Seems to me there has been a lot more coverage lately from the media too, and we owe a lot of that to those who have not gave up the fight for our rights. Lets take a look at some key figure heads and some of the happenings outside the State of South Carolina.

When speaking of figure heads we must start with Congressman Barney Frank (D. Mass.) Congressman Barney Frank has refused to let this issue die and continues to fight against the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act), which made it difficult to fund online gambling. “I believe in personal freedom,” says Frank, who is Chairman of the House’s Financial Services Committee. “And my major issue with the bill was that it interfered with that. The federal government shouldn’t be telling adults how to spend their money in the privacy of their homes.”

The Democratic congressman’s biggest backer is the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) which has a membership of over a million people. Former New York Republican Senator Alfonse D’Amato is chairman of the PPA and is taking on his former friends in Congress. “There’s hypocrisy with this whole thing,” says D’Amato. “On one hand they say they want less government, on the other they push a bill that goes into someones house and says they can’t do something. More presidents played poker than any other game; we’re not talking about pornography.”

And lets not forget the new administration. The White House, under newly elected President Obama asked citizens to submit policy proposals earlier this year to be voted on at change.gov. Issues with the strongest support made it into the Citizen’s Briefing Book which was sent to President Obama just last week. Poker players should be happy to note that regulating and licensing online poker is the top technology issue and the 11th overall.

Executive Director of the PPA John Pappas says, “Poker players around the country are speaking with one voice to protect the game they love, and the White House is hearing that message.”

We have some of the largest sport networks reporting on the UIGEA and online poker issues as well. Just recently ESPN done an article titled “Behind the Bets” that I thought was very good.

So folk, lets keep on fighting the fight. The word is getting out there and our support continues to grow daily, just don’t give up. Congressman Frank or the PPA hasn’t nor should we.

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