PPA Calls on Congress to Put Americans’ Priorities First During Today’s House Financial Services Markup on Internet Poker Bill

Washington, DC (July 27, 2010) – John Pappas, Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the leading poker grassroots advocacy group with more than one million members nationwide, released the following statement in advance of today's House Financial Services Committee markup on H.R. 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act.  

“With today’s markup of legislation protecting the freedom of Americans to play online poker, I urge Republicans and Democrats to strongly consider the outpouring of public support for this issue on the America Speaking Out and Change.gov’s Citizen’s Briefing Book websites as they cast their vote. 

“Through both of these online efforts, policymakers from both sides of the aisle cite the need for citizens to speak up and, most importantly, for politicians to listen.  

“On the GOP-driven America Speaking Out, protecting the right to play poker online is the third most popular issue voted on by the public in the site’s Liberty and Freedom section, with over 1,000 votes of support and more than 100 comments.  In fact, the only issues with more votes are gun rights and keeping the government out of citizens’ personal lives – which is exactly what a vote supporting H.R. 2267 will do.

“On the other end of the political spectrum, President Obama elicited comments from the American people on their top policy priorities via Change.gov. The result was the Citizen’s Briefing Book, in which boosting America’s economy with legal online poker was the number one technology issue and the 11th most popular issue overall.   

“Not only has the broad American public made their support for H.R. 2267 clear, but the constituents of the House Financial Services Committee members have been extremely vocal.  Since the mark-up of H.R. 2267 was announced last week, thousands of voters have contacted their representatives on the Committee urging their support of this legislation. 

“As Financial Services Committee member Rep. Kevin McCarthy said in an op-ed he wrote for CNN.com on May 25th, the American citizens ‘deserve a Congress and a government that puts their priorities and everyday concerns first.’  I think former Senator Alfonse D’Amato, chairman of the 1.2 million member Poker Players Alliance, said it best in an op-ed last week when he asked ‘Are the politicians listening?’ Today, members of the Committee can prove to the voters that the answer is yes by supporting H.R. 2267.”

About The Poker Players Alliance

The Poker Players Alliance (www.theppa.org)  is a nonprofit membership organization comprised of over 1,000,000 online and offline poker players and enthusiasts from around the United States who have joined together to speak with one voice to promote the game and to protect poker players’ rights.

Written by Amy Zupko

Woman Poker Player Magazine   

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 18, 2010 – Online casinos came on the scene right alongside the mainstream introduction of the internet. As people found a new way to communicate and do business, gamblers also found a new outlet.  Software originators such as Microgaming and Boss Media AB were formed in the mid 1990’s with Cryptologic being credited with developing the first interactive casino able to process real money financial transactions in 1996. Literally thousands followed suit until the market became saturated with online casinos. As the online gambling boom happened, global governments had a hard time keeping up with how to control the newly budding commerce.  It became apparent that the industry needed a medium to address issues and to present a unified front to lobby for regulation and to protect the industry.

The IGC has many roles in support of the gaming community including leading global lobbying efforts on behalf of its membership. The remarkable growth of internet gambling has many governments, most notably the United States debating suitable legislation, some suggesting an outright ban.

“The IGC has been lobbying for a solution and working with governments like the U. S. and Canada to move toward regulation, rather than prohibition” Viippola adds. “The IGC has also provided written testimony to the Gambling Review Body in the UK, worked with the governments in Australia, New Zealand and Europe and we also consult regularly with the individual governments in Canada toward regulation of the industry.”

Like prohibition in the 1920’s the IGC feels a total ban on internet gambling would push out the sites that are willing to comply with legal regulations, leaving players in the hands of dishonest operators.

“The industry has made great strides in the past few years. We are making progress in giving governments across the globe insight to the industry; which assist as decisions are made with regard to government regulation” adds Viippola.  

Read the full article here: http://www.womanpokerplayer.com/pokernews/208-igc-working.html

STATEMENT OF JOHN KENNEDY FITZGERALD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE INTERACTIVE GAMING COUNCIL (IGC) ON:

U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT AND FEDERAL RESERVE DECISION TO DELAY UIGEA REGULATIONS

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, November 27, 2009 -- "The Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) commends today's actions by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to delay by six months the application of the regulations issued pursuant to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). 

“We applaud Chairman Frank, Senator Reid and other members of Congress for their leadership in convincing the agencies to delay the application of this flawed regulation, which is based on a flawed law.

“IGC hopes that the U.S. Congress will use the intervening time to move U.S. law away from the ambiguous attempts at prohibition contained in UIGEA, and toward a rational policy of licensing and regulation, which respects individual freedom, protects players, and raises needed revenue for federal and state governments.  We thank Chairman Frank for his efforts toward that goal, and we look forward to working with him in any way possible to achieve it."

Contacts:

John Kennedy FitzGerald, Chief Executive,