Poker News

ESPN Inside Deal Welcomes Dennis Phillips

This week’s edition of the ESPN poker show “Inside Deal,” which airs on ESPN.com, featured 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine member Dennis Phillips and a revealing phone conversation with WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack.

The show opened in its usual witty style, with “Inside Deal” Host Laura Lane trying to find Phillips to commence taping. ESPN employees and co-host Bernard Lee were all dressed like the former truck salesman, donning red St. Louis Cardinals hats and white collared shirts complete with logos. “Inside Deal,” which is sponsored by PokerStars.net, began its 40 minute show by discussing new legislation introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to regulate online games of skill like poker in the United States. Poker News Daily was sourced on the story, with Lee commenting, “This is a revised bill that Senator Menendez introduced in 2008. The previous bill focused on just skill games. This specifically focuses on online poker.” The bill is numbered S 1597.

Discussion on “Inside Deal” then turned to the recent sale of the World Poker Tour (WPT) to Gamynia Limited. Lee gave his take on what the sale of the hallmark tournament series means for players: “For the Tour, time will tell. For the 2009-2010 season, there won’t be too many changes.” Lee then noted that legalized and regulated online poker in the United States would mean a dramatic increase in qualifiers for WPT events. “Inside Deal” broke down the results of its sponsor’s weekly online poker major, the Sunday Million, and discussed the death of PokerListings founder Andreas Oscarsson.

Pollack called in for “Inside Deal’s” first telephone interview. He gave a preview of the 2009 WSOP Europe festivities, which kick off on September 19th from London. Pollack explained a potential solution for the sellout of Day 1D of the 2009 WSOP, which left more than 500 players shut out of the game’s most prestigious tournament: “We’re going to continue to have pre-registration open months in advance. I think we’re going to allow players to select their start date for the Main Event until a certain point. After that, we’re going to select their start date so the days are properly balanced.” Among those left out in the cold on Day 1D were Durrrr Challenge participant Patrik Antonius, Poker Hall of Fame member T.J. Cloutier, and five-time WSOP bracelet winner Ted Forrest.

Phillips joined the show to talk about his interactions with members of the 2009 WSOP November Nine and his experience at National Poker Week in Washington, DC. On the latter effort, which was organized by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), Phillips recalled, “I honestly believe there will be a compromise between the two [internet gambling bills in the House and Senate]. They will come together with something. My hope is that in the next 12 to 18 months, this farce of a law they have will be amended.”

Phillips divulged the secrets to his deep runs in the 2008 and 2009 Main Events, where he finished 3rd and 45th, respectively, and relived throwing out the first pitch at a Cardinals baseball game. On November Nine member and CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman, who has threatened to throw out the bracelet should he win the Main Event, Phillips commented, “Even if he felt it, to come out and publicly state it is horrible. It’s repulsive to me that he’d consider throwing it away.”

ESPN Poker Editor Andrew Feldman then joined the “Inside Deal” set in Bristol, Connecticut to review Sexy Poker for the Nintendo Wii, which resembles a game of strip poker. Discussion of the game was a segue for forecasting technological breakthroughs in the game, with Lee suggesting that tournament officials mic up every player at a final table and use interactive cameras to divulge tells. Feldman also discussed World Team Poker, whose first match-up pits Phil Hellmuth’s Team USA against Men “The Master” Nguyen’s Team Vietnam. Phillips recalled Danes rooting for Peter Eastgate and Russians cheering for Ivan Demidov during the 2008 WSOP Main Event final table as examples of how team poker may have a bright future.

An unaired exit interview with Dan Harrington following his elimination from the WSOP Champions Invitational aired and Lee broke down Eastgate’s one-outer against Scott Montgomery during last year’s Main Event finale. New episodes of “Inside Deal” are released every Tuesday on ESPN.com.

Senator Menendez Introduces Bill to Regulate Online Poker

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced a bill in the Senate on Thursday that seeks to regulate and tax online poker in the United States. The bill would garner both federal and local revenue, while instituting consumer protection safeguards and age verification procedures to ensure that citizens under the age

Senator Menendez Launches New Pro-Poker Bill.

Poker bills are like buses, so it seems. Now the poker industry could wind up benefiting from not one, but two new bills going through Congress. In addition to Senator Barny Frank's much-publicised Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (HR 2267) - which now boasts 54 signatures - the Internet Skill Games Regulation Bill (S8309) is also fighting its way into law.

Menendez launches new poker bill

The Internet Skill Games Regulation Bill (S8309) is the brainchild of New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez and the major difference between it and similar bills is that only addresses online poker and other games of skill.

According to a release from the Dow Jones Newswires, the bill would establish a regulatory framework allowing online poker companies to register in the U.S.

It would also put in place consumer protections, including age-verification procedures and blocks for  States where online poker is not yet legal.

Of interest to players is a proposed 10% tax on all deposits, representing one of the first times an actual number has been given in regards to taxes the U.S. government might be interested in charging should online poker be regulated.

The bill is expected to receive support from various financial institutions across the U.S., which were charged with the task of rejecting individual bank transactions based on the vague Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) passed in 2006.

House Representative Barney Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (HR 2267) is scheduled to go to a hearing in September and could potentially gain even more support if Menendez' bill is well received.

No debate or votes on the bill will occur until after the Senate's August recess.

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Senator Robert Menendez Introduces S 1597 Legalizing Online Poker

On Thursday, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) officially unveiled S 1597, the Internet Poker and Games of Skill Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. Congress remains on recess until after Labor Day in the United States.

As its name implies, Menendez’s legislation explicitly legalizes and regulates games of skill like online poker, which should come as a welcome sign to players in the United States who question the legality of the game. The bill notes that poker, bridge, mahjong, backgammon, and chess are examples of games in which a player’s skill dominates the outcome: “While each of these games contains an element of chance, over any substantial interval, a player’s ultimate success is determined by that player’s relative level of skill.” Menendez’s measure weighs in at a hefty 89 pages.

The bill focuses heavily on online poker, noting, “Poker is part of the cultural and recreational fabric of the United States and has been since the founding days of the United States. United States poker aficionados have included presidents, judges, and statesmen.” S 1597 calls for the continuance of laws against sports betting online in a similar fashion to Congressman Barney Frank’s (D-MA) HR 2267, which establishes a complete licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States. HR 2267 was introduced exactly three months ago and is up to 54 co-sponsors.

The Secretary of the Treasury is responsible for overseeing the licensing process for skill game operators and prescribing regulations. Each applicant for a license must submit a comprehensive financial background, an outline of the company’s structure and that of its affiliates, criminal and credit histories of executives, and how each licensee plans to combat underage gambling and compulsive gambling. In addition, they must convey how the games offered will be fair. All gamblers must be at least 21 years-old.

Licenses run for five years and can be renewed at the end of each term. Like other recent internet gambling legislation, Menendez’s S 1597 calls for a list of “persons self-excluded from gaming activities at all licensee sites.” States have a period of 90 days to opt out of the legislation after it becomes law; Indian tribes can also exempt themselves from the bill. S 1597 addresses problem gambling, allocating $14.2 million per year between 2010 and 2014 for awareness, treatment, and research.

S 1597 clearly states, “Nothing… shall be construed to repeal or amend any provision of State or Federal law prohibiting, restricting, or otherwise addressing bets or wagers on sporting events.” Professional sports leagues like the NFL have expressed a desire for Frank’s HR 2267 to contain clearer language outlawing sports betting. During a working dinner as part of National Poker Week, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) claimed it was part of a “broad coalition” that included the NFL.

The Federal Government and State Governments will each reap 5% of a licensee’s deposits during each calendar month in taxes. Unauthorized gambling is subject to a 50% fee. Menendez’s S 1597 is similar in scope to last session’s S 3616, the Internet Skill Game Licensing and Control Act. However, Thursday’s version focuses on consumer protections. The PPA reviewed a draft of the bill in mid-July with what the organization called a “commitment” from Menendez to introduce it. The online poker measure was scheduled to be released before August 1st. However, it was ultimately revealed to the world on Thursday.

The 1.2 million member strong PPA will likely push its members to call their Senators and urge support of Menendez’s S 1597. As of the time of writing, no companion bill exists in the House of Representatives. Frank’s HR 2267 encompasses all forms of internet gambling except sports betting, whereas Menendez’s only legalizes games of skill. Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) introduced the Skill Game Protection Act (HR 2610) during the last Congressional session. It exempted player versus player games from internet gambling law, including the Wire Act of 1961 and Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

The PPA had not released an official statement on S 1597 as of press time. We’ll have full industry reaction to Menendez’s online poker legislation on Poker News Daily.

Senator Menendez to Introduce Online Poker Legislation on Thursday

In breaking news from Capitol Hill, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) will introduce legislation to license and regulate online poker in the United States on Thursday, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

During National Poker Week, which occurred from July 19th to 25th, it was revealed that Menendez would likely drop legislation during the festivities or the following week. Then, Poker News Daily learned that a bill similar to last Congressional session’s S 3616 would likely be introduced this week. Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Executive Director John Pappas stated during a working dinner to open National Poker Week, “Pushing poker will be an immediate lift and will be easier than [legalizing] other things.” He also reminded over 30 of the PPA’s State Directors, a handful of poker pros, and media in attendance, “Poker has always been played in people’s homes. We are the Poker Players Alliance. We aren’t the Roulette Alliance. We love the Menendez bill because it focuses on our core beliefs.”

The PPA had a draft of the bill in mid-July. Menendez’s S 3616 was introduced last September and dubbed the Internet Skill Game Licensing and Control Act. The bill’s definitions specifically included online poker, explicitly legalizing the game in the United States: “The term ‘Internet skill game’ means an Internet-based game that uses simulated cards, dice, or tiles in which success is predominantly determined by the skill of the players, including poker, bridge, and mahjong.” The bill called for the legalization of skill games not backed by the house, meaning that the action was primarily player versus player. Online poker rooms like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker raise revenue by taking a percent of each pot or tournament buy-in, dubbed the “juice” or “rake.”

In order to apply for a license to operate a skill game online and solicit customers from the United States, complete financial information was required. Also required were an outline of an organization’s corporate structure and the “names of all persons directly or indirectly interested in the business of the applicant and the nature of such interest.” Background checks of individuals and directors associated with each licensee would have been conducted and betting on sports was specifically prohibited. S 3616 vanished from the record after the 110th Congress adjourned.

According to the PPA, the legislation to be introduced by Menendez on Thursday will be similar to S 3616. The Dow Jones report notes, “It would establish a regulatory framework that would allow online poker companies to register in the U.S.” A 10% tax on deposits would be added, 5% to State Governments and 5% to the Federal Government. During the last Congressional session, Congressman Robert Wexler introduced a similar measure in HR 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act, which exempted poker and other skill games from existing internet gambling legislation.

At the beginning of May, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced HR 2266, which would delay industry compliance with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) by one year to December 1st, 2010. In addition, the Massachusetts lawmaker unveiled HR 2267, which establishes a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States. HR 2267 currently boasts 54 co-sponsors, while HR 2266 has 35.

We’ll have full details on Menendez’s new Senate bill as soon as it’s released right here on Poker News Daily.

Poker’s march on Washington works

July 19-25 was the first National Poker Week organized by the Poker Players Alliance and the results speak for themselves.

Over the span of the week the PPA collected over 375,000 signatures on a petition to President Barack Obama supporting the legalization of online poker, nearly 200,000 letters/emails were sent to U.S. representatives and members of the PPA attended over 100 congressional meetings.

Even radio host Howard Stern signed up as a member of the PPA.

"I think we made a very strong impression on lawmakers who weren't aware of online poker or maybe even opposed it," said PPA executive director John Pappas. "We raised the overall understanding of the situation."

Pappas, PPA Chairman Alfonse D'Amato, 33 PPA state directors and seven poker pros including Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Howard Lederer, Dennis Phillips, Linda Johnson and Greg Raymer all made the trip to Washington, D.C. to show their support for legislation that would legalize and regulate online poker in the United States.

"I truly feel we are winning on this issue and the time is ripe for pro-poker legislation to pass into law," said the aforementioned Bloch.

It has been an uphill battle, according to Pappas, but the group finally seems to be making some headway.

"There is obviously a great fear when it comes to online gambling," he said. "People are concerned about having a casino in every home. That's not necessarily the case as we are bringing a skill game into people's homes.

"This isn't anything new. People have been playing poker in their homes for their entire lives. This way the government would be able to collect tax revenue from it."

The organization put a great deal of support behind Rep. Barney Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (HR 2267) which was originally scheduled for a hearing in July.

The proposed hearing was postponed to September, but the PPA was still able to convince seven more representatives to co-sign the bill, which is now up to 54 co-sponsors. Rep. Betsy Markey, Rep. Bill Pascrell and Rep. Russ Carnahan were all among the recent co-sponsors.

"We had several goals in Washington and I think we exceeded them all," Pappas said. "It was a great success. The only thing we weren't able to do is actually meet with President Obama and present him the petition with signatures. We hope to accomplish that later this year."

Despite the fact that National Poker Week is over, the PPA will continue to educate politicians about the game.

"We will continue to talk to people and promote the game," said Pappas. "We hope to set the stage for Frank's bill in early to late September.

"We also have the short-term goal of getting poker excluded from the current Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which will officially be enforced as of Dec. 1, 2009. We want them to leave poker out of that legislation because poker is a skill game."

Pappas went on to say that New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez will finally be dropping his long-awaited poker-only bill tomorrow (August 6).

In the end, when it comes to the future of online poker, Pappas was optimistic.

"I think it's going in the right direction," he said. "For the first time we are on the offensive when it comes to legislation. We're seeing numerous pro-poker bills and I haven't seen a single anti-poker bill introduced for months.

"The bills that have been introduced lately have all been about extending poker player's rights."

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Barney Frank’s Internet Gambling Bill Breaks 50 Co-Sponsors

This week saw Congressman Barney Frank’s (D-MA) HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, officially break 50 co-sponsors. The bill establishes a complete licensing and regulatory framework for internet gambling outfits to solicit U.S. customers.

The addition of two Congressmen officially pushed the support to over 50 co-sponsors. On July 27th, just a few days removed from the conclusion of National Poker Week, Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) lent his name to the bill to become co-sponsor #50. One day later, Congressman Dan Maffei (D-NY) joined on. Flanking Thompson and Maffei are Congressmen from both sides of the aisle. Each has come out to support legalizing the internet gambling industry in the United States and reaping tax revenue in return. Here is a full list of HR 2267’s co-sponsors, as given by the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative (SSIGI), along with the political party each belongs to (Democrat or Republican):

Alaska
Don Young (R)

Arizona
Raul Grijalva (D)

California
Michael Thompson (D)
George Miller (D)
Michael Honda (D)
Linda Sanchez (D)
Bob Filner (D)

Colorado
Jared Polis (D)
Ed Perlmutter (D)

Connecticut
Joe Courtney (D)

Florida
Robert Wexler  (D)
Alcee Hastings (D)

Hawaii
Neil Abercrombie (D)

Idaho
Walt Minnick (D)

Illinois
Luis Gutierrez (D)
Bill Foster (D)

Indiana
Andre Carson (D)

Massachusetts
James McGovern (D)
Barney Frank (D)
Michael Capuano (D)
William Delahunt (D)

Michigan
John Conyers (D)

Nevada
Shelley Berkley (D)

New Hampshire
Paul Hodes (D)

New Jersey
Robert Andrews (D)
Frank LoBiondo (R)
John Adler (D)
Steven Rothman (D)

New York
Tim Bishop (D)
Steve Israel (D)
Peter King (R)
Carolyn McCarthy (D)
Gary Ackerman (D)
Joseph Crowley (D)
Jerrold Nadler (D)
Edolphus Towns (D)
Mike McMahon (D)
Charles Rangel (D)
Paul Tonko (D)

North Carolina
Melvin Watt (D)

Ohio
Steve Driehaus (D)
Tim Ryan (D)

Oregon
Earl Blumenauer (D)

Tennessee
Steve Cohen (D)

Texas
Ron Paul (R)
Ciro Rodriguez (D)

Virginia
Bobby Scott (D)
Tom Perriello (D)
James Moran (D)

Washington
Jim McDermott (D)

HR 2046, introduced during the last Congressional session and labeled the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, garnered 48 co-sponsors. Frank unveiled it to the world in April of 2007, but it was not acted upon. The new version forbids gambling on any event that would violate the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. However, Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Executive Director John Pappas noted during National Poker Week that sports leagues are seeking clearer language in the bill. He explained, “Changes need to be made to explicitly outlaw sports betting.”

HR 2266 was introduced on May 6th, the same day as HR 2267, and calls for industry compliance with the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) to be delayed by one year to December 1st, 2010. The measure is dubbed the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act and is up to 32 co-sponsors. On its sister bill reaching the milestone 50th co-sponsor, SSIGI spokesperson Jeff Sandman commented in a press release, “Reaching this milestone illustrates that momentum is growing for a shift in U.S. policy and a rewrite of U.S. internet gambling laws. We also expect an increased spotlight on internet gambling as a way to augment federal revenues and help cover the cost of necessary policy initiatives.”

During a Fly-In orchestrated by the PPA as part of National Poker Week, over 100 meetings were held with Congressmen and their staffs from around the United States. Attendees included 33 PPA State Directors and a handful of poker’s elite, including Poker News Daily Guest Columnists Annie Duke and Linda Johnson, PokerStars pros Dennis Phillips and Greg Raymer, Full Tilt Poker pros Andy Bloch and Howard Lederer, and online poker sensations Chris “Fox” Wallace and Jordan “iMsoLucky0” Morgan.

Over 375,000 concerned players signed an online poker petition, which was presented to U.S. President Barack Obama last week. In addition, nearly 200,000 letters and e-mails were sent to Representatives and Senators during National Poker Week. The PPA’s Randy Law admitted that just 80,000 were sent during the entire 2008 calendar year. The organization currently has over 1.2 million members after boasting only 50,000 in mid-2006.

I’m Going to Be a Lobbyist in My Next Lifetime

I recently returned from a trip to Washington, DC in which I was privileged to be part of the Poker Players Alliance’s (PPA) National Poker Week Fly-In. Part of this event included a gathering of 33 PPA State Directors, a handful of poker celebrities, and various lobbyists and media members. Our goal was to gain support for favorable online poker legislation and specifically for House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank’s HR 2267, which would establish federal licensing and regulation of online poker.

My first impression of Capitol Hill is that I have never seen so many men and women dressed in business attire, scurrying from one building to another, carrying files and folders, all with an agenda to fulfill. The experience of actually seeing our government at work and being part of the process was incredible.

The Fly-In started out with a working dinner at which the participants got a chance to network with each other and hear brief speeches from Alfonse D’Amato, Congressman Robert Wexler, and John Pappas, Executive Director of the PPA.  Afterwards, we were given our meeting schedules for the next two days. My list of appointments included Senators Charles Schumer and Dianne Feinstein, and Representatives Tim Bishop, Shelley Berkley, Dina Titus, and Lynn Westmoreland. I had been given a list of talking points and became comfortable with them through many role-playing scenarios with Jan Fisher and my brother Rich Plante, who accompanied me on the trip.

At each of our meetings, we were taken into an office or small boardroom and allowed to make a presentation about why we believe that online poker should be completely legal, licensed, and regulated in the United States. Most times, there was a lobbyist with us and two or more PPA representatives present. I actually preferred the meetings without a lobbyist, as this gave us more time to personalize our stories and yet were still able to present the persuasive positive points about our position.

Here are some of the facts we presented in our meetings to encourage support of HR 2267:
1. More than 10 million Americans play online poker.
2. If online poker sites were licensed, American citizens would be protected from scam artists who don’t operate their sites with integrity. In addition, we would have legal recourse in U.S. courts if problems occurred.
3. Studies show that approximately $3.3 billion in tax money would be raised annually if online poker were regulated.
4. HR 2267 would provide effective protection to keep underage children from gambling online.
5. HR 2267 provides help to compulsive gamblers.
6. 75% of Americans oppose a ban on internet poker.
7. Poker is a game of skill. State courts in South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Colorado have recently come to this conclusion.
8. Licensing and regulating online sites would create jobs. I know many people who lost their jobs as marketing directors and party planners when the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) passed.

We also made personal pleas to Senators, Congressmen, and staffers. For instance, I brought up how embarrassing it is that in the “Land of the Free,” we don’t have the same right to fund an online poker account and play in our own homes that citizens of most other countries in the world have. I also brought up the fact that my brother, who lives in Utah where there are no casinos, will eventually have to leave his home state if he wants to play poker unless we get the law changed. There are millions of physically-challenged and infirmed citizens who aren’t able to travel to a casino to play poker. Instead, playing online in their homes can bring them happiness in an otherwise depressing, painful life.

I believe that we helped sway opinions in a positive way through our Congressional meetings. Lots of questions were asked and answered that made it obvious that licensing and regulation is the best way to go regarding online poker. Since the Fly-In, three members of Congress (Representatives Linda Sanchez, John Conyers, and Mike Thompson) have signed on to co-sponsor HR 2267, bringing the total to 51. Many more will follow suit… it only makes sense!

The trip wasn’t all business, though; we had some time for fun in between our meetings. A special treat was lunch at the Pentagon in the Army Executive Dining Room hosted by a Brigadier General friend of mine. After lunch, we were given a tour of the 9/11 Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

I also got to play in a charity poker tournament along with 35 patients from Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Celebrities in attendance included Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Howard Lederer, Dennis Phillips, Montel Williams, and members of Congress and their staff. The PPA donated $25,000 to seed the effort and another $10,000 was raised through rebuys, bounties, and donations. My trip to Washington, DC was truly a top-ten event in my life.

***

Linda,
Nice job. Thank you so much for your efforts. You covered all the primary points that legislators need to be aware of.

There is one more factor that may sway some who are still “on the fence;” taking note of the stakes levels that are routinely played.

There may be a misperception about who is playing poker online and the stakes they are playing for. TV, our good friend in promoting poker, may be presenting a distorted picture of who is playing and what kinds of risks they are actually taking. You hear this when various anti-poker politicians talk about how they worry that people would routinely be putting their economic futures at risk if online play were legalized.

As it is, the overwhelming proportion of players only play at the microstakes levels. They enter games with less money than it takes to buy a hot dog at a baseball game. There is precious little financial risk in these games.

It is easy to see this. Just for fun, I scrolled over the NLH games in progress at Poker Stars. Here are the numbers of tables in action at each of the levels.

$25/$50(and higher)…. 2 tables
$10/$20….. 6 tables
$5/$10……28 tables
$3/$6…….26 tables
$2/$4…….72 tables
$1/$2…..201 tables
$.50/$1…..496 tables
$.25/$.50…..456 tables
$.10/$.25…..696 tables
$.05/$.10…..516 tables
$.02/$.05…..288 tables
$.01/$.02…..576 tables

The game is played, as you noted, mainly for recreation and amusement by people who prefer this kind of competitive interaction and find it to be more stimulating, intellectually challenging and engaging than watching reruns on cable TV.

Best,

Arthur

Biggest Surprises of National Poker Week

National Poker Week attracted 33 State Directors from the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) plus a throng of the game’s elite to Washington, DC. In the end, over 100 meetings were held on Capitol Hill. Poker News Daily was on-hand for the festivities and reviews several of the surprises of National Poker Week.

Prepare to Meet with Aides

If poker players take the time to visit their Congressmen, they should be prepared to meet with staff members. Being a Congressman means running frenetically between meetings, votes, and other pressing matters. Although conferencing with constituents is important, Congressmen have a full plate. Staffers are extremely influential, a point echoed by lawmakers like Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) and former three-term Senator Alfonse D’Amato (R-NY) during National Poker Week. Congressmen regularly defer to aides for insight on both critical issues and those that may not receive front-page headlines. Therefore, don’t be discouraged meeting with Congressional staffs.

Poker Really is a Game of Skill

A study by Cigital and PokerStars performed in December studied 103 million cash game hands on the world’s most popular online poker site. The results revealed that 75% of pots did not go to showdown. Instead, the process of betting and bluffing took down hands. It’s one thing for industry representatives to say that poker is a game of skill; it’s completely different to hear the sentiment from an American lawmaker. Congressmen Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), for example, told online poker forum PocketFives.com in an interview, “Poker is a sport of skill. If you don’t believe that, you need to watch some of the tournaments on television and understand that these are very talented people. They can win a hand with a lot worse cards than anybody else. It is a game of skill and not just what cards fall.” Well said.

Importance of Personal Stories

When you meet with Congressmen or their aides, be sure to share your personal story. This was the number one point emphasized by the PPA. The rationale behind sharing your personal story is breaking the stereotype that poker players are shady individuals, far from being law-abiding citizens. Instead, poker players are students, housewives, firefighters, soldiers, doctors, and teachers. They’re just like you and me. Formulate your personal story prior to calling, e-mailing, or visiting your Congressmen. While knowledge of the issue is of paramount importance, it was surprising to learn that the personal story is even more critical.

Generosity Makes the World Go Round

Poker players are an extremely generous group. Churches, synagogues, and other institutions around the world regularly employ poker tournaments as fundraising vehicles. The turnout at the PPA’s charity event was extremely impressive. Some of the world’s top pros were in attendance, including “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke, who came armed with a fistful of $100 bills in order to rebuy wounded warriors at her table. 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Greg Raymer imparted knowledge of the game to his tablemates and Howard Lederer (Duke’s brother) tried to out-rebuy his sibling. Generosity really is a quality of poker players. I’ve seen it first-hand.

Poker’s Role Models

The roster of pros that turned out to the PPA’s Fly-In as part of National Poker Week was truly impressive. In addition to Raymer, Duke, and Lederer, the movement to legalize and regulate online poker in the United States also attracted “The First Lady of Poker” Linda Johnson, Women in Poker Hall of Fame member Jan Fisher, former MIT Blackjack Team member Andy Bloch, online poker star Jordan “iMsoLucky0” Morgan, PokerXFactor instructor Chris “Fox” Wallace, and Team PokerStars Pro member Dennis Phillips. Even talk show host and poker veteran Montel Williams turned out, fresh off a trip to Africa.

I’m an economics major, so I’m familiar with opportunity cost. These pros came to Washington, DC voluntarily to help advance the game in the United States. There are plenty of opportunities they passed up in order to attend. My hat is off to each of them. They are truly poker’s role models.

Former PokerStars Executive Serves as Consultant for National Poker Week

Among those in attendance at the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Fly-In held as part of National Poker Week was former PokerStars Marketing Director Dan Goldman, who served as a consultant to bring the event to life. Poker News Daily caught up with Goldman during a working dinner on Monday.

Poker News Daily: Tell us about your contributions to National Poker Week.

Goldman: I’ve been serving as a consultant for the last couple of months for National Poker Week and for the PPA’s presence at the World Series of Poker (WSOP). I’ve been helping them design marketing programs and getting people to sign the online poker petition. I’ve been getting people mobilized this week to write their Senators and Representatives and helped organize events to support that, including freerolls on PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Cake Poker.

PND: What has been the response of online poker sites when you’ve asked them to set up freerolls for those who sign the online poker petition?

Goldman: Their response has been extraordinarily positive. They understand that if online poker is going to be successful, there needs to be a regulatory body. There needs to be legislation and regulation. The way to do it is to mobilize poker players to campaign to their Senators and Congressmen to pass one of these bills to clarify the situation. A lot of people think that online poker is illegal in the United States and it’s not.

PND: Can you comment on the turnout at the Fly-In this week?

Goldman: The turnout has been good. We have the vast majority of our State Directors here in Washington, DC. We also have a number of well-known poker players. These people are all wonderful voices in support of online poker. They’re people that these legislators know. They’ve seen them on television. They’re going to be as excited to meet them as the poker players are to meet Senators and Congressmen. Overall, we’re very happy about the turnout.

PND: Can you talk about the development of the PPA’s push to put a name on the face of poker players?

Goldman: It’s clear to us that legislators have a view of poker that is the same that our parents had. Our parents may have thought about poker as taking place in a smoke filled room with guys with visors and scars. When legislators look at the notion of online poker, they think in terms of money laundering, scam artists, and people trying to get bank information in order to funnel money to Libya.

The reality is that online poker players are just normal people. Your typical online poker player is in their mid- to late-20s, not playing for big money, and is just an ordinary person. The campaign that the PPA has put together focuses on ordinary people like a housewife or a soccer mom who makes a living playing poker online. She can play poker a couple of days online and make a reasonable living.

Chris “Fox” Wallace Lobbies Congressmen for Legalizing Poker

On Tuesday at the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Fly-In held as part of National Poker Week, 30 of the organization’s State Directors and a handful of the game’s elite met with Senators and Representatives from around the United States. The goal: Push for the legalization and regulation of online poker in the United States.

Poker News Daily joined poker pro and PokerXFactor instructor Chris “Fox” Wallace as he met with staffers from Representative James Oberstar (R-MN) and Senator Al Franken (D-MN). Congressman Oberstar’s district contains 1,544 PPA members and the lawmaker has a poker-related voting record of “D” according to the one million member strong organization. Wallace sat down with John Schadl, the Communications Director for Congressman Oberstar. Topics included Wallace’s personal story of playing and teaching the game to 300 students from his home in the Land of 10,000 Lakes as well as key stats about the industry.

In the end, Wallace and a lobbyist from the PPA called for Congressman Oberstar to support HR 2266 and HR 2267. The former delays financial services industry compliance with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) by one year until December 1st, 2010. HR 2267 establishes a comprehensive framework to license and regulate internet gambling operators in the United States. It sits at 47 co-sponsors after being introduced on May 6th, although the PPA claims 52 or 53 Congressmen have lent their names to the measure. Schadl called the meeting “very informative” when it concluded and was full of questions.

On the walk from the Rayburn House Office Building to Senator Franken’s office in the Hart Senate Office Building, Poker News Daily caught up with Wallace to get his impressions on the meeting:

Poker News Daily: Give us your thoughts on your conversation with John Schadl, Communications Director for Congressman James Oberstar.

Wallace: I thought it went great and he was very receptive. He didn’t seem to know much about poker, but wanted to learn about it. It seemed like we gave him a good foundation to understand what it is.

PND: Was the conversation what you expected?

Wallace: I actually expected that the person would know a little bit more about the issue and be asking us more technical questions. Schadl was asking us how poker online is played, so it was helpful that we were there to tell him how these things work rather than fight over technical issues in bills.

PND: Were you sufficiently prepared?

Wallace: He didn’t ask any questions that I didn’t know the answers to. I’m not a legal expert, but it seemed to go well. I think he was impressed with how much we knew and how much we were able to help him out with answers to questions. I got the idea that he was on our side by the time we left.

PND: Can anyone educate Congressmen effectively on this issue?

Wallace: People who are not comfortable speaking and people who are not terribly persuasive would have trouble doing it. Knowledge of the issue is really important. I didn’t have to tell him “I don’t know” to any of his questions. While that’s acceptable to do every once in a while, if you did it through a whole meeting, you’d get nowhere.

Poker News Daily Heads to National Poker Week

Sunday marks the official start of National Poker Week. The seven day affair features a concerted effort calling for the legalization and regulation of online poker in the United States. Poker News Daily will head to the nation’s capital as part of the Week’s Fly-In organized by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA).

Thirty of the PPA’s State Directors and at least a half-dozen poker pros will be in attendance, meeting with Congressmen and Senators on Capitol Hill. The PPA is targeting both poker-friendly lawmakers and those still on the fence in an effort to drum up support for HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, and HR 2266, the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act. The former establishes a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States, while the latter delays compliance with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) by one year.

A message posted on the official website of National Poker Week states, “Join the thousands of poker players from across the country who will raise their voices to help keep America’s most popular game legal during National Poker Week.” State Directors, poker pros, and media from around the United States will check in during the day on Monday to the Fly-In’s official hotel, the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill. A panel discussion will be held in the afternoon in Room 2237 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The group will be discuss how the industry can be properly regulated and features Wired Safety Executive Director Dr. Parry Aftab, Cigital Vice President Stuart Dross, and a former executive with International Gaming Technology, Paul Matthews.

At 6:00pm on Monday at the Hyatt, a working dinner will be held featuring comments by Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL). A reception precedes dinner. The gala will focus on appropriate talking points for attendees meeting with Congressmen on Tuesday and Wednesday. Poker News Daily will likely have media access to several meetings on Capitol Hill to give our readers an in-depth look at common talking points for conversing with lawmakers. State Directors were given literature outlining discussion points as well as a comprehensive overview of HR 2267, which was introduced by Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) in May and boasts 47 co-sponsors.

On Tuesday night, Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Annie Duke, Andy Bloch, Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson, Howard Lederer, and 2008 November Nine member Dennis Phillips will host a charity poker tournament benefiting the USO of Metropolitan Washington. The invitation-only event is free to enter and features $100 rebuys. The PPA is fronting the entire cost of the event and will be making its own donation to the tournament’s benefactor. Prizes for the winners include travel packages and poker tutorials. Poker News Daily will be on-site during the event, which will be held in the Ticonderoga Room of the Hyatt at 7:00pm. Congressional representatives, soldiers, and poker players alike will take to the felts in this unique event.

On Wednesday, continental breakfast will precede meetings with Congressmen. State Directors are encouraged to check out after 5:00pm and then enjoy the city of Washington, DC. The PPA reserved a block of rooms at the Hyatt for the event and, around July 1st, all but a handful were booked in what is expected to be a widely-attended Fly-In. National Poker Week was announced in June as part of a press conference held at the Rio during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

An online poker petition will be presented to President Barack Obama on Wednesday. How it will be given to the Commander in Chief is not yet known, but the petition has attracted 345,000 signatures after clipping the 300,000 mark on July 14th. PPA officials were aiming to eclipse 500,000 signatures by Monday.

Look for updates from National Poker Week in the next few days right here on Poker News Daily.

Linda Johnson Heads to Washington for National Poker Week

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) held a press conference at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) to announce several of its latest projects including National Poker Week, a national poker petition, and a new website called mypokerstory.com. I hope you will check out some of these projects.

Please log into pokerpetition.com and sign the online poker petition that will be presented to President Barack Obama during National Poker Week, asking his support to exempt the game from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and for its legalization and regulation. To date, almost 300,000 people have signed and we are hoping to have 200,000 more signatures in the next 10 days. You should also log onto mypokerstory.com and listen to average Americans talk about their love of poker and how much it fulfills their lives.

Midway through the press conference, Greg Raymer and I were called up to make a short speech to the media and attendees since we are members of the PPA Board of Directors. I didn’t know in advance that I would be asked to speak and although I like to be prepared and rehearsed, I had to adlib about how appalling it is that in this great country, we do not have the same rights that people in other countries do regarding playing online poker.

I spoke about an elderly friend of mine who is going through very tough chemotherapy whose enjoyment in life right now comes from playing online poker. I spoke about the fact that there are many handicapped and disabled citizens who can’t travel to card rooms, but can have fun playing poker in their own homes.

I spoke about the need to get involved by contacting our Congressional representatives and letting them know that we don’t need them to legislate what we do in our free time with our own money. I also committed to going to Washington, DC during the July 19th to 25th National Poker Week to meet with members of Congress and ask them to help protect my right to play poker online.

I’m looking forward to returning to Washington, DC. It’s been a year since I was there to attend a charity event to benefit the Paralyzed Veterans of America. While I was there, I met and befriended two very high-ranking military personnel who gave me a nighttime tour of our Capitol. This time, they have invited me to the Pentagon for lunch and a behind-the-scenes tour. We will also be going to the 9/11 Memorial and to Arlington National Cemetery.

There’s a lot of lobbying that needs to be done for our cause as part of National Poker Week. From July 20th to 22nd, professional poker players including Annie Duke, Greg Raymer, Howard Lederer, Dennis Phillips, Jan Fisher, and Andy Bloch will be joining more than 30 PPA State Directors to meet with members of the House of Representatives to ask them to co-sponsor HR 2267, introduced by Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank. We’ll also be meeting with Senators and asking them to support online poker legislation. We’ll be on a panel to educate Congressional staffers on the need for regulation and licensing of online poker. We’ll be helping to host a charity poker tournament to benefit the USO and the Malone House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where the pros and State Directors will play alongside members of Congress and at least 35 wounded servicemen and women. The PPA is underwriting the whole tournament so that 100% of the proceeds will go to the charity.

All poker players are invited to visit the PPA website and send a letter to their member of Congress during National Poker Week asking for their support of licensing and regulation. Also, please go to MyPokerStory.com and record your own poker video. Let’s all get involved to protect this game we love!

Poker Players Alliance Announces National Poker Week

Mark your calendars now for the first ever National Poker Week, which kicks off on July 19th and runs through the 25th. The grassroots initiative is the brainchild of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the industry’s one million member strong lobbying force.

The PPA unveiled National Poker Week at a press conference on Monday inside the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). The gala featured Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV), whose Internet Gambling Study Bill was introduced during the 110th Congress, but failed to be marked up by the House Judiciary Committee. Also in attendance were PPA Chairman and former three-term Senator from New York Alfonse D’Amato, Poker News Daily Guest Columnist and Tournament Directors Association Co-Founder Linda Johnson, and 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg Raymer. Following the press conference, Berkley issued the “Shuffle Up and Deal” command to start play in the Amazon Room.

PPA Executive Director John Pappas told Poker News Daily about Monday’s press conference announcing the initiative: “I thought it went very well. Shelley Berkley was magnificent with her command for the issue and stated why it’s important for poker players to get involved in a meaningful way. She explained that the poker community should rally around the initiatives that the PPA is putting forth in order to make sure that legislation like Barney Frank’s bill will get passed.” Frank has two measures in Congress: HR 2267 establishes a licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States. HR 2266 delays the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) from being implemented for one year to December 1st, 2010.

The PPA will fly in of over 30 of its State Directors to Washington, D.C. as part of National Poker Week. While in the nation’s capital, the State Directors will meet with their elected officials to pitch support for legislation like HR 2266 and HR 2267. In addition, the crew will deliver a petition to U.S. President Barack Obama calling for exemption of poker from the UIGEA. Over 10,000 concerned players have signed the virtual poker petition, which will be delivered on July 22nd. It opens with a simple statement regarding the rights of poker players: “I am a voter and a fellow poker player asking for your support of my right to play games of skill like poker on the Internet.” In order to sign the petition, a person’s first name, last name, e-mail address, and mailing address are required. As I wrote this paragraph, 20 players have lent their names.

Professional poker players slated to be part of the event include Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson, and 2008 November Nine member Dennis Phillips. On July 21st, a charity poker tournament benefiting the United Service Organizations (USO) and the Malone House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center will take place. The PPA is fronting the costs for the event in order to ensure that all of the money raised goes directly to the beneficiary organizations. The prizes and buy-in for the tournament were not available at the time of writing.

A key element leading up to National Poker Week is the launch of MyPokerStory.com, which invites poker players from around the country to submit a video of why the game is important to them and why the U.S. Government should legalize the Great American Pastime. All videos will be entered into a drawing for a two night Las Vegas package complete with airfare for two people. A total of 16 amateur videos are currently posted, including a clip from Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX). In addition, World Poker Tour Host Mike Sexton, “Cowboy” Kenna James, and Lederer have all submitted recordings. Interested WSOP spectators and players can produce their own videos at the PPA’s booth outside the Amazon Room.

Media present at the 45 minute long event on Monday received a tutorial on the PPA’s new National Poker Week web tools. In addition, it was revealed that a variety of telephone and e-mail campaigns will take place.

PPA Initiates “National Poker Week”

The PPA tries to take a big leap in its mission to lobby the legalization of online poker.

National Poker Week will take place July 19-25 and PPA will send more than 30 State Directors and at least six professional poker players to meet the members of Congress in Washington D.C.

“Our members - the poker players of America - are our best advocates to protect the future of poker.” said PPA Chairman and former U.S. Senator Alfonse D’Amato.

The PPA will also send a petition to President Obama asking for his support to make poker exempt from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

You can sign the petition online at www.pokerpetition.com.

Pros who are going to Washington D.C. include Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson and Dennis Phillips.

“Protecting Americans’ right to play poker - whether online or around the poker table - is something everyone should support even if you don’t play,” Lederer said.

“Restricting what we can do online in the privacy of our own home is a slippery slope, which is why I am coming to Washington for National Poker Week - to tell my members of Congress to protect my rights.”

The PPA will also have a charity poker tournament on July 21, benefitting the USO and the Malone House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Wounded servicemen and women will be playing alongside poker pros, PPA’s State Directors, and members of Congress. All proceeds from the event go directly to the USO.

Source: Pokerlistings.com

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PPA Initiates “National Poker Week”

PPA introduces National Poker Week

The PPA is attempting to take the next step in its ongoing mission to lobby for the legalization of online poker by announcing its newest promotion.

PPA National Poker Week will take place July 19-25, and the grassroots organization is stepping up its efforts by going directly to Washington D.C. and talking to members of Congress.

The group will send more than 30 State Directors and at least six professional poker players to D.C. The PPA representatives will meet with members of congress and lobby for legalization and regulation of online poker.

"Our members - the poker players of America - are our best advocates to protect the future of poker," said PPA Chairman and former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato said.

"National Poker Week, with events in Washington, D.C., and across the country, is the PPA's way to make it clear to my former colleagues in the U.S. Congress that poker is important to voters and is here to stay."

The PPA will also send a petition to President Obama asking for his support to make poker exempt from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

Supporters can sign the petition online at www.pokerpetition.com.

Throughout National Poker Week the PPA will organize telephone and email promotions aimed at making the voice of the poker player heard in the halls of Congress. Players can visit www.nationalpokerweek.com to find out how to help out.

Pros scheduled to go to Washington D.C. include Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Jan Fisher, Linda Johnson and Dennis Phillips.

"Protecting Americans' right to play poker - whether online or around the poker table - is something everyone should support even if you don't play," Lederer said.

"Restricting what we can do online in the privacy of our own home is a slippery slope, which is why I am coming to Washington for National Poker Week - to tell my members of Congress to protect my rights."

The PPA will also host a charity poker tournament on July 21, benefitting the USO and the Malone House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Wounded servicemen and women will be playing alongside poker pros, PPA's State Directors, and members of Congress. All proceeds from the event go directly to the USO.

Visit PokerListings.com

PPA to Announce National Poker Week on June 22nd at 2009 WSOP

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the industry’s main lobbying force, will announce its plans for National Poker Week on Monday at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). An press conference to be held at 11:00am Pacific Time will feature Full Tilt Poker pro Howard Lederer, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV), former three-term Senator from New York and current PPA Chairman Alfonse D’Amato, and PPA Executive Director John Pappas.

The announcement of Poker Week comes on the heels of the seizure of $30 million belonging to online poker payment processors by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York at the beginning of June. The news rocked the online poker industry and, although echecks recently reappeared as a deposit option on PokerStars, over 24,000 players were affected; many are now gun-shy about cashing out. Bank accounts in Arizona and California were targeted at the PPA is currently engaged in dialogue with the Southern District over the contents of the funds that were frozen. No formal lawsuit has been filed by attorneys for the PPA, payment processors, or the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA), which has been keeping a close eye on the situation.

So what is National Poker Week? The PPA’s website explains that the event is “a coordinated grassroots advocacy effort focused on educating lawmakers in Washington, D.C. on the benefits of protecting the game of poker.” Lederer, Berkley, D’Amato, and Pappas will kick off the festivities on Monday, June 22nd in Pavilion 11 of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, just down the hallway from the massive Amazon Room, which is playing host to the 2009 WSOP. New advocacy tools will be rolled out, which Poker News Daily has learned includes new forms to contact Congressmen on Capitol Hill. Pappas will walk media members in attendance through the PPA’s new features at the conclusion of the event, which will also consist of a question and answer session.

Media were sent two e-mails about the event, the second of which announced the attendance of Lederer, a longtime supporter of the PPA. While many media outlets are expected to be in attendance, it is not clear whether the event is open to the general public.

Berkley is a co-sponsor of Barney Frank’s HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, which was introduced on May 6th. A total of 33 other members of Congress have also stepped up to co-sponsor the bill, which establishes a complete licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States. Frank’s HR 2266, the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act, is up to 19 sponsors. HR 2266 delays the compliance date of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act’s (UIGEA) regulations by one year to December 1st, 2010.

Representatives from Poker News Daily will be in attendance at the Rio on Monday for the 11:00am press conference, which comes nearly 10 days removed from the beginning of the 2009 WSOP Main Event. The feature tournament kicks off on July 3rd with the first of four starting days and plays down to its final table on July 15th. The action will then break for 100 days, resuming on November 7th. The spectacle will play down to a winner on November 10th inside the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio and air on cable station ESPN that evening.

Poker News Daily has learned that Frank is slated to issue the “Shuffle Up and Deal” command for one of the starting days of the 2009 WSOP Main Event. Last year, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL), whose Skill Game Protection Act would have exempted poker, bridge, mah jong, and other player versus player games from the Wire Act and UIGEA, issued the call in the Amazon Room.

The PPA is a one million member strong organization based in Washington, D.C. that fights for the rights of poker players, both in the live and online arenas. In 2006, the then-nascent organization stood at just 50,000 members. It took just two years for the PPA to cross the seven-figure mark.

Kentucky Attorneys File Response Brief to Supreme Court in Internet Gambling Case

On Thursday, attorneys for the Commonwealth of Kentucky filed a 20 page response brief to the state’s Supreme Court. The case pits Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary J. Michael Brown against the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA).

The response brief was actually due on Wednesday, June 17th. Upon submitting the document on Thursday, Commonwealth attorneys were also asked to file a Motion for Enlargement. In it, the state’s legal team expounded on the reason for the one day delay: “In this action, ten separate parties have sought to participate in this litigation as amicus curaie parties, with many such motions still pending, and numerous parties currently litigating this case as Appellees.” The Commonwealth added that, based on iMEGA’s brief being submitted on June 3rd, it “calculated a due date for the filing of a Reply Brief in this action on Thursday, June 18th.”

Despite the confusion, Commonwealth attorneys officially submitted the brief on Thursday to the Kentucky Supreme Court. The highest court in the Bluegrass State is not obliged to take the case and no indication has been given as to when a possible hearing could occur. The brief begins with an argument that Brown has standing to bring a civil suit against the owners of 141 internet gambling domain names that were seized by the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet last September at the urging of Governor Steve Beshear. If successful, the seizure and forfeiture would result in the domain names of industry behemoths like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker being inaccessible not only in Kentucky, but also around the world.

Besides standing, another dispute in the case is whether the State is spearheading a civil trial to prosecute a criminal illegal gambling charge. The brief asserts, “The text of the statute contains no such language. It does not reference a conviction, criminal action, or even person against whom a criminal action might be brought… This case was brought as a civil proceeding, not out of a desire to be creative.” The 141 internet gambling domain names in question were seized on the grounds that they constituted illegal gambling devices, a term that has traditionally referred to tangible objects like slot machines and roulette wheels that would be employed in an underground casino.

On whether the State had jurisdiction to seize the domains, Commonwealth attorneys explain, “The true intention or will of the legislature is the law, not the literal language of the statute… Courts must consider the intended purpose of the statute, the reason and spirit of the statute, and the mischief intended to be remedied.” On the national level in the United States, online poker players have run into a similar dilemma with the Wire Act, which has traditionally applied to local telephone carriers and online sports betting outfits. Based on recent funds seizures by the Southern District of New York, the 50 year-old law has been interpreted by the U.S. Government as potentially covering online poker.

The brief spends considerable real estate on the question of whether Kentucky can seize property like a domain name, which is not located within its borders. One of its main arguments focuses on the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act, which was introduced in the 1990s by current Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Chairman Alfonse D’Amato in the U.S. Senate. The Commonwealth notes that a subsection of the bill “addresses a problem that arises whenever property subject to forfeiture under the laws of the United States is located in a foreign country… It is probably no longer necessary to base in rem jurisdiction on the location of the property if there have been sufficient contacts within the district in which the suit is filed.” Senator D’Amato’s first name is incorrectly given as “Alphonse.”

The brief also alludes to a suit brought by the PPA’s Washington State Director, Lee Rousso, who filed legal action arguing that the State’s harsh stance on internet gambling constituted a violation of the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. The Kentucky brief explains, “The Rousso court ultimately concluded that the State’s interests in protecting its citizens from the ills associated with gambling outweighed the relatively small cost imposed on out-of-state businesses.” In Washington, playing online poker is a Class C felony.

iMEGA and the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet now await word on whether the state’s Supreme Court will take up the case.

USA Seized $30 Million of Online Poker Funds

The Poker Players Alliance, PPA, condemns the recent actions taken by the Southern District of New York. PPA released a statement where they express their ‘dissappointment’ against the Southern District of New York because they seized an estimation of $30 million of online poker players’ money.

According to the PPA chairman and former N.Y. Senator Alfonse D’Amato the funds belong to law abiding poker players, not the operators of poker websites.

The Southern District has ordered three banks: Citibank, Goldwater Bank, and Alliance Bank of Arizona to seize the funds.

Online poker players have had tremendous trouble depositing and withdrawing money from several poker sites - like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker - using the popular eChecks in recent days. These sites are not currently allowing the players to use eCheck at all.

D’amato ensures that the players will get their funds. “We will continue to pursue every legal course available to ensure that in this instance, poker players’ funds are not seized and their right to play online poker is protected.”

“To that end, the PPA is coordinating a legal strategy to appropriately protect PPA members who are impacted by the Southern District’s actions. Further, the PPA has contacted the affected poker websites and has been informed that deposit and payout issues of players are being addressed and will be fully satisfied”, D’amato concludes.

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USA Seized $30 Million of Online Poker Funds

USA Seized $30 Million of Online Poker Funds

The Poker Players Alliance, PPA, condemns the recent actions taken by the Southern District of New York. PPA released a statement where they express their ‘dissappointment’ against the Southern District of New York because they seized an estimation of $30 million of online poker players’ money.

According to the PPA chairman and former N.Y. Senator Alfonse D’Amato the funds belong to law abiding poker players, not the operators of poker websites.

The Southern District has ordered three banks: Citibank, Goldwater Bank, and Alliance Bank of Arizona to seize the funds.

Online poker players have had tremendous trouble depositing and withdrawing money from several poker sites - like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker - using the popular eChecks in recent days. These sites are not currently allowing the players to use eCheck at all.

D’amato ensures that the players will get their funds. “We will continue to pursue every legal course available to ensure that in this instance, poker players’ funds are not seized and their right to play online poker is protected.”

“To that end, the PPA is coordinating a legal strategy to appropriately protect PPA members who are impacted by the Southern District’s actions. Further, the PPA has contacted the affected poker websites and has been informed that deposit and payout issues of players are being addressed and will be fully satisfied”, D’amato concludes.

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USA Seized $30 Million of Online Poker Funds

Poker Players Alliance Giving Away a 2009 WSOP Main Event Seat

An e-mail sent to members of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) late Friday night offered the prospects of playing in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event for renewing or upgrading to a premium membership. The seat is worth $10,000.

The offer is available until Midnight ET on June 15th and doles out one seat into the world’s most prestigious poker tournament. Last year, a total of 6,844 players entered the Main Event, which saw its final table delayed until November for the very first time in order to coincide with its airing on ESPN. In the end, it came down to a battle of Europe, as Danish poker pro Peter Eastgate bested Russian sensation Ivan Demidov, becoming the youngest WSOP Main Event Champion ever at age 22 and banking $9.1 million.

The offer is good for existing premium members who renew as well as members paying for the first time. The cost of the upgrade is $20, which can be done in a few quick steps online. First, existing members are asked to log in and new members are taken to the organization’s sign-up screen. Once logged in, players should select the “Membership” option, which whisks them to the subscription page. PPA members that do not have an automatically renewing membership will then see the date that their current one expires and a large orange button to “Purchase One Year of PPA Online Premium.” This will extend their renewal date by 365 days and does not eat into current time remaining.

Entrants must be over the age of 21 and a mail-in option to qualify is also available. The lucky winner will be selected at High Noon ET on June 16th. Travel expenses to and from Las Vegas and hotel accommodations are not included. However, the Rio and participating Harrah’s hotels offer discount rates for WSOP players throughout the seven week tournament series. The Main Event kicks off from the massive Amazon Room on July 3rd with the first of four starting days. The tournament plays down to its final table on July 15th, at which point it will be paused for over 100 days and resume in November.

Premium PPA members can take advantage of a variety of discounts on movies, restaurants, hotels, electronics, and travel as part of PPA Advantages. The discount shopping program touts potential savings of over $2,000 every year at over 600 merchants. The program includes instantaneous discounts; no point accumulation is required. Premium members also have access to the PPA’s Litigation Network, which has helped orchestrate successful court cases around the United States. The PPA is in the midst of fighting for the rights of one of its own members, Kevin Raley, who was charged with illegal gambling in Colorado. Finally, Premium PPA members score a card protector and window decal.

The organization is fresh off playing a part in Congressman Barney Frank’s (D-MA) introduction of HR 2266 and HR 2267. The former delays the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) from going into effect until December 1st, 2010. The latter bill establishes a complete licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States. Both were introduced on May 6th and referred to the House Financial Services Committee, of which Frank is the Chair. No timeline has yet been announced for their possible discussion in Committee. Besides the PPA, other organizations supporting the bill include Harrah’s and YouBet.com.

Last April, the PPA eclipsed the one million member mark. It has constituents in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. In 2006, it stood at just 50,000 members and has experienced phenomenal growth in terms of numbers and status on Capitol Hill. Much of its growth came with the announcement that former three-term Republican Senator from New York, Alfonse D’Amato, would serve as its Chairman.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest news from the PPA.

South Carolina Poker Bills Pass Senate Judiciary Committee

Live and online poker players in South Carolina have been jumping for joy at the news that Senate Bills 535 and 628 have cleared the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee. Both bills explicitly legalize social games of poker.

Senators McConnell, Mulvaney, Ford, Land, Knotts, and Davis introduced senate Bill 535. It outlines what forms of gambling are legal in the state, noting, “Gambling in a private home where no house player, house bank, or house odds exist and where the house receives no part of any of the money or other thing of value that is risked or wagered in the gambling in the private home is social gambling and is not unlawful.” Senate Bill 535 also outlines the process for a non-profit organization to obtain a gaming license, although 90% of the money raised in an event must go directly to the charity. The measure was approved in Committee by a 12-8 vote after being introduced back in March.

Senate Bill 628 and Senate Bill 535 were both amended to include what the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the major lobbying force for the poker industry, calls a “predominance test.” The move follows a decision by Judge Larry Duffy in February that five poker players caught during a raid of a home game were guilty despite “overwhelming” evidence that poker is a game of skill. Judge Duffy noted that no clear direction existed from the South Carolina Legislature as to whether games predominantly determined by skill were considered gambling. The amendment, which was implemented with the help of the PPA, may clarify South Carolina’s position.

On Wednesday of last week, the Associated Press noted that the two bills had “virtually no chance of passing this year” because the legislative session had just five days remaining. PPA Executive Director John Pappas alluded to the time crunch at hand, noting in a press release distributed by the one million member strong organization, “We urge the South Carolina Senate to quickly bring these pieces of legislation to the floor for a vote before the end of the session.” Senate Bill 628 allows players to utilize a defense of social gambling against a charge of “unlawful gambling.” More importantly, it notes that games deemed predominated by skill are “not unlawful.”

The PPA has 10,000 members in South Carolina. In 2006, Bob Chimento, Jeremy Brestel, Scott Richards, Michael Williamson, and John T. Willis were arrested as part of an allegedly friendly home game in Mount Pleasant. Appearing at the trial of the five defendants was World Poker Tour (WPT) Host and Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Mike Sexton, who came armed with videos showing how hands were won via a player’s skill. Also appearing was University of Denver Statistics Professor Robert Hannum, who outlined the results of a study conducted by Cigital and PokerStars which found that, out of 103 million cash game hands on the popular online poker site, three-quarters did not go to showdown. Instead, a player’s skill in betting earned them a win in the hand.

PPA South Carolina State Director John Ridgeway commented, “The thousands of poker players in the state are now one step closer to being allowed to enjoy a game of poker online or with their friends around the kitchen table without the fear of being accused of a crime under outdated state laws.” The gambling law currently on the books is over 200 years old. The PPA notes that the effect of the two bills extends well beyond just poker. Games like Bunko and Bridge would also become explicitly legal.

The two bills’ approval by the South Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee comes the same week as Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced comprehensive legislation to legalize and regulate the internet gambling industry in the United States. A separate measure introduced by Frank calls for the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) to be delayed for one year.

Frank reveals online gambling legislation

The Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 would establish a federal regulatory and enforcement framework for Internet gambling operators who want to accept U.S. customers.

"We applaud [Financial Services Committee] Chairman Frank's strong leadership to advance a common sense approach to regulate Internet gambling and reverse the intrusive, ineffective and burdensome prohibition," said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

This legislation is similar to what Frank introduced in 2007 in response to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which attempts to block money transfers from banks and other financial institutions to online gambling sites.

Frank has previously said he believes restricting online gambling is an inappropriate interference on the personal freedom of Americans and his hope is to reverse the UIGEA.

Along with the act to overturn the UIGEA, Frank is also going one step further, introducing separate legislation today to delay the implementation of UIGEA regulations set to go into effect Dec. 1, 2009.

The legislation will stop Federal regulators from enforcing the UIGEA until Congress has a chance to decide national policy.

"Despite the current prohibition, millions of Americans wager more than $100 billion annually with offshore Internet gambling operators," Sandman said.

"Rather than tell Americans what they can and cannot do online in the privacy of their homes, Chairman Frank's approach to regulate Internet gambling would protect consumers and allow the U.S. to generate billions in new revenue to fund critical government programs."

One of the stipulations for licensing under the new legislation is that companies must maintain effective protections against underage gambling, compulsive gambling, money laundering and fraud, and enforce prohibitions or restrictions on types of gambling prohibited by states and Native American Tribes.

The companies will also be subject to review of their financial condition and corporate structure, business experience, suitability and criminal background. They will also have to agree to be subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

The bill also grants the Treasury the authority to enforce the regulations. They can revoke or terminate the license of any online gambling site that fails to comply with the bill's provisions, and violators could be fined or imprisoned for up to five years, or both.

The Poker Players Alliance agreed the new legislation will do a better job of protecting U.S. consumers who choose to gamble online.

According to the PPA, the UIGEA was overly vague and wasn't actually protecting U.S. citizens as it was intended to do.

This new legislation will go much further towards keep children and problem gamblers off these sites, at the same time allowing for strong consumer protections for adult consumers who enjoy playing online poker and other online gambling activities, the PPA claims.

"Online poker is a legal, thriving industry and poker players deserve the consumer protections and the freedom to play that are provided for in this legislation," PPA Chairman and former Senator Alfonse D'Amato said.

"We are grateful for Chairman Frank's leadership and will be activating our grassroots army made up of over one million members to help him drive legislation."

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Barney Frank Introduces Comprehensive Internet Gambling Legislation

On Wednesday morning, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) unveiled the Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act, which establishes a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework for the industry in the United States. Legislation to delay the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) by one year was also introduced.

Although the bill has not yet been formally assigned a number, Frank’s licensing measure focuses squarely on protecting consumers when they gamble online. The bill states, “Internet gambling in the United States should be controlled by a strict Federal licensing and regulatory framework to protect underage and otherwise vulnerable individuals, to ensure the games are fair, to address the concerns of law enforcement, and to enforce any limitations on the activity established by the States and Indian tribes.” Operators must be in good legal and financial standing, utilize proper safeguards to thwart underage and problem gambling, and have systems in place to prevent money laundering. These concerns have been brought up repeatedly in markup hearings of past internet gambling bills introduced by Frank.

The Secretary of the United States Treasury is charged with overseeing the industry and licensing the companies that would be allowed to accept U.S. customers. Applicants may be asked to provide criminal records, credit histories, comprehensive financial statements, an outline of the corporation’s structure, and their methodologies to combat underage, compulsive, and problem gambling. Licensees must also protect against “fraud, money laundering, and terrorist finance.” Licenses last for five years each and may be renewed at the end of that time period. The bill also calls for the establishment of a “program to alert the public to the existence, consequences, and availability of the self-exclusion list, and shall prepare and promulgate written materials to be used in such a program.”

Sports betting or any wager that would be considered a violation of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is not allowed under Frank’s legislation. However, fantasy sports and other “simulation games” are exempted. The bill does not overturn the UIGEA, which was passed in 2006. Instead, it exempts licensees from the three year-old law.

The bill appears to require a companion measure to provide for taxation of the industry. During the last Congress, that piece of the puzzle came in the form of HR 2607, which prescribed that 2% of the funds deposited online be taxed. PricewaterhouseCoopers released a study utilizing a similar bill along with Frank’s HR 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, to reveal that up to $52 billion could be raised over a 10 year period by taxing and regulating the industry. However, that figure relied heavily on the involvement of professional sports leagues.

A separate bill introduced by Frank on Wednesday, dubbed the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act, called for the regulations of the UIGEA to be enacted on December 1st, 2010, one year after the scheduled date. The House Financial Services Committee website explains, “The legislation will stop Federal regulators from enforcing the UIGEA until Congress has had a chance to decide national policy.” In essence, lawmakers on Capitol Hill will have an extra year under Frank’s second bill in order to pass legislation concerning internet gambling. The regulations of the UIGEA were approved in November as midnight rules and implemented on January 19th, one day prior to U.S. President Barack Obama taking office. As it currently stands, the financial services industry must come into full compliance by December 1st, 2009.

Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Chairman and former three-term Senator from New York Alfonse D’Amato commented in a press release, “Online poker is a legal, thriving industry and poker players deserve the consumer protections and the freedom to play that are provided for in this legislation. We are grateful for Chairman Frank’s leadership and will be activating our grassroots army made up of over one million members to help him drive legislation.” In an article published by the Associated Press last month, it was revealed that the PPA is planning to sink $3 million into lobbying efforts during the current Congressional session.

Americans for Tax Reform Sides with Internet Gambling in Minnesota

The Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) has come out in support of the internet gaming industry in Minnesota. The state’s Department of Public Safety has served written notice to 11 major internet service providers (ISPs) calling for blocking access to 200 internet gambling websites.

Written notice was served on Monday. However, it was made public on Wednesday in a press release issued by the State. Siding with the internet gambling industry shortly thereafter was the ATR, which is based in Washington, D.C. and headed by Grover Norquist. The organization has been intricately involved in the battle for control of 141 internet gambling and online poker domain names in Kentucky and is one of the first to support the industry in Minnesota.

Norquist told Poker News Daily that the actions by the Department of Public Safety parallel a growing nationwide trend for control of the internet: “The State of New York wants to tax people who download movies. There is an effort throughout the states to tax internet sales on sites like eBay. One of the reasons that the internet is so helpful is that it allows competition. The best way to keep taxes low is to allow people to be able to access other jurisdictions.” If successful, 200 websites would be completely inaccessible by Minnesota residents. The affected ISPs, which have up to three weeks to respond, include AT&T, Charter, Comcast, and Qwest.

Poker players in Minnesota may be left with legal card rooms at racetracks and the state’s tribal casinos as the only options if the action to block 200 websites is successful. Norquist explained, “You can’t always pick up and move, but on the internet, you can buy things in other states and other countries. That’s one of the reasons why the internet is so helpful. It’s none of the government’s business what you do online. We just went through this in Kentucky.” In the Bluegrass State, the Kentucky Court of Appeals overturned the seizure of 141 internet gambling domain names, including those belonging to massive industry staples like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. The case now moves on to the Kentucky Supreme Court.

Norquist explained his ideal vision for the future of the internet: “We want to keep the internet deregulated and untaxed because it’s so important in terms of protecting individual liberties. It’s not helpful to have politicians pushing people around.” The ATR was founded in 1985 at the request of President Ronald Reagan. It has pioneered the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which it describes as “a written promise by legislators and candidates for office that commits them to oppose any effort to increase income taxes on individuals and businesses.” In the current Congress, which convened in January, a total of 172 Representatives and 34 Senators have subscribed to it. Last year, the ATR created the Center for Fiscal Accountability. It also organizes an annual Cost of Government Day.

The ATR may now work hand in hand with industry organizations like the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) and the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), which have already dispatched legal teams to Minnesota. In Kentucky, a broad coalition was formed to counter the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. Rich Muny, the PPA’s State Director for Kentucky and member of the organization’s Board of Directors, told Poker News Daily, “Poker players throughout America should be very concerned, as should internet freedom lovers regardless of where they stand on gambling. Once we establish a process of government regulating the internet, where does it stop?”

Other organizations that stood by the internet gambling industry in Kentucky included the Center for Democracy and Technology, eBay, the Bluegrass Institute, and the American Civil Liberties Union. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from Minnesota.

D’Amato Criticizes Capitol Hill Article On Frank’s Poker Bill

Poker Players Alliance Chairman Alfonse D'Amato, the former Republican Senator of New York, criticized an article in The Hill this week for what he said "wrongfully suggests that the issue of regulating Internet gaming is somehow partisan in nature." The article in question,...

PPA Chairman D’Amato Sees Bipartisan Support for Internet Gaming Bill

In a recent letter authored by Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Chairman Alfonse D’Amato to The Hill, the former three-term Senator from New York forecasted bipartisan support for Congressman Barney Frank’s (D-MA) upcoming internet gambling legislation.

In a recent interview with The Hill, Frank alluded to introducing legislation favorable to internet gambling next week after Congress returns from its Easter recess. During the break, the PPA, the main lobbying organization for the poker industry, has gone on the offensive, headlined by D’Amato’s recent contribution to The Hill. The PPA surpassed the one million member mark last year in part due to the visibility and involvement of the former high-profile Senator.

D’Amato claims that both Democrats and Republicans have reason to disapprove of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which was attached to the SAFE Port Act and passed during the waning moments of the 2006 Congressional session. He noted in his letter to The Hill, “It does nothing to prevent children and problem gamblers from playing online; it overly burdens the banks, making them, not the federal government, policemen of the internet; it costs the taxpayers billions in unearned revenue, not to mention the loss of capital and jobs when these companies are forced to move out of the U.S.; and it’s simply unenforceable.” The UIGEA was not debated in the Senate; instead, the SAFE Port Act was passed by unanimous consent.

Frank was originally slated to introduce internet gambling legislation in March. However, a faltering economy has delayed the announcement of a bill that may outline a complete licensing and regulatory framework for the industry. The previous version was HR 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act. It was introduced in 2007, but was not enacted into law. According to D’Amato, “Both conservatives and liberals alike know that UIGEA was simply a bad bill turned into worse policy, and it must be redone in order to put a more effective system in place.”

Frank’s two previous attempts to clarify the UIGEA both came with bipartisan support. The Massachusetts Congressman and former Republican Presidential Candidate Ron Paul sponsored HR 5767, the first version of the Payments System Protection Act. The bill was struck down in the House Financial Services Committee, of which Frank is the Chairman, last June. An amendment introduced by Congressman Peter King (R-NY) that called for a list to be developed of what was illegal and legal under the UIGEA failed by virtue of a 32-32 tie vote. The bill itself was then put to an oral vote, where the “Nays” outweighed the “Yays.”

HR 6870 marked the second version of the Payments System Protection Act. It was passed by a 30-19 vote in Committee last September. King once again spoke on behalf of the bill in its mark-up hearing, as did Congressman William Lacy Clay (D-MO). King was its lone co-sponsor, but despite bipartisan support, HR 6870 did not see time on the House floor due to the then-emerging financial crisis. A study recently released by PricewaterhouseCoopers noted that up to $52 billion could be generated by regulating and taxing the internet gambling industry over a 10 year period, although that figure relies heavily on the involvement of professional sports leagues.

The PPA held fundraisers at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions prior to the general elections in the United States last year. In addition, the organization hosted a booth at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February. D’Amato concluded his call for bipartisan legislative support saying, “Now is the time to do what’s right for all interested parties, not based on party politics. That means protecting internet freedom and the public interest through taxation, licensing, and regulation - not prohibition.”

Aussie Senator Admits Error in Internet Censorship Policy

A blacklist authored by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) aiming to censor various “indecent” websites, including online poker sites, leaked last month with the help of anonymous sources. Now, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy is beginning to own up to errors within his controversial internet censorship policy following an uproar from the Australian community.

Among the more than 2,000 blacklisted sites were numerous online poker sites, including PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, as well as sites with hyperlinks to such banned sites. These websites were scheduled to be secretly blocked by Australia’s Internet service providers (ISPs). The list was leaked by wikileaks.com, a leading online antagonist of government censorship and a supporter of freedom of information made up of anonymous submissions.

ABC TV’s “Q&A” program that aired on March 26 was Senator Conroy’s first major media appearance to discuss the government's internet censorship plans. The response from viewers was substantial as more than 2,000 people sent in web and video questions regarding the government’s censorship proposals.

“We’ve never seen anything like the avalanche Stephen Conroy has generated,” said the show’s host, Tony Jones, when introducing Conroy.

Conroy’s admissions during the broadcast created even more of a stir and left considerable doubt regarding the government’s ability to filter the internet without unintentionally blocking legitimate websites. He acknowledged that images taken by artist/photographer Bill Henson were added to the prohibited websites list in error, and cast blame on the “Russian Mob” for the addition of a dentist’s site to the list, saying that the Mob hacked into the dentist’s site. Several other sites were on the blacklist even though they changed hosting providers and cleaned up their sites several years ago.

“The classification board looked at (Bill Henson’s) website and actually said it’s PG,” Conroy said.  “A technical error inside ACMA I’m advised included it, but it was actually cleared by the Classification Board, so it shouldn’t be on the list.”

“I’ve asked ACMA in the last few hours to go through their entire list again to see if there are any other examples of this.”

Conroy’s comments raised concerns from Australians about freedom of speech issues. Because the community doesn’t have access to the blacklist they’re unaware of the criteria used in the banning process.

Such a ban on poker websites would have a huge effect in Australia, where the industry has been thriving even despite recent restrictions enforced by ACMA. The Internet Gambling Act 2001, which has been around for years, makes it unlawful to provide an interactive gambling service to a customer physically present in Australia. Only recently has ACMA become more determined in restricting such illegal material.

Some of the biggest poker tournaments in the world take place in Australia, including the multi-million dollar Aussie Millions as well as the Asia Pacific Poker Tour, Asian Poker Tour, and Australia-New Zealand Poker Tour.

South Carolina Holds Hearings on Legalizing Poker

Senate Bill 535 is making waves in South Carolina. Fresh off the trial of five poker players in Mount Pleasant in which the defendants were found guilty due to a lack of direction by South Carolina state law, S 535 would legalize “social gambling.”

In addition, during tough economic times, S 535 would pave the way for the introduction of “casino night events conducted as a fundraising activity of limited duration by a non-profit organization.” The bill specifically legalizes home games provided that no rake is taken. S 535 reads, “Gambling in a private home where no house player, house bank, or house odds exist and where there is no house income from the operation of the game is social gambling and is” acceptable should it be passed.

State Senator Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston) is the brains behind S 535, which was introduced on March 5th and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. According to the Post and Courier newspaper, bills that are introduced in South Carolina carry a life span of two years, “which means that if the bill does not pass by the end of the 2009 session in late May or early June, there's always time in 2010, which is an election year.”

A public hearing on S 535 was held on Monday in Greenville. A separate bill introduced by McConnell, S 560, was also discussed. That bill, although not related to poker, would legalize certain forms of raffles for churches and other non-profits. According to the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the main lobbying organization for the poker industry, about 150 people showed up for Monday's hearing, with the audience split evenly between opponents and advocates of the bills. Among those calling for their passage were the American Legion and former Appeals Court Judge Billy Wilkins, who spoke on behalf of the PPA. On the other side of the aisle were parties such as the South Carolina Baptist Convention.

John Pappas, Executive Director of the PPA, told Poker News Daily that about 40 of its members were in attendance supporting the bill. He explained, “The folks from our side represented a variety of people from lawyers to Average Joes.” In addition to legalizing traditional poker home games with no rake, S 535 also allows dice games, billiards, backgammon, and chess where no betting takes place and no cash or other prizes are awarded to its winners. The law in question was passed in the early 19th Century.

At a hearing in front of a South Carolina Senate panel, Bob Chimento, one of the players arrested as part of the Mount Pleasant poker case, recalled the scene when his home game was abruptly broken up in 2006: “Guns were drawn and pointed at us. They weren't pointed at the ground; they were pointed at us over a $100 fine. Someone could have been seriously injured that night or someone could have been killed.” Chimento was among five defendants (along with Jeremy Bristel, Michael Williamson, Scott Richards, and John Willis) who were found guilty in February of illegal gambling. The poker players were allegedly playing in a benign home game and, if S 535 had been on the books, they would be in no hot water legally.

Although Judge Larry Duffy found overwhelming evidence that poker was a game of skill, he deferred to an appellate court to determine whether the “Dominant Test” should apply. In other words, under current state law, it is unclear whether a game dominated by skill is legal in South Carolina. The game took place in Nathaniel Stallings' home in Mount Pleasant in April of 2006. The PPA sent World Poker Tour Host Mike Sexton to testify that poker was a game of skill using video evidence from past tournaments. Dr. Robert Hannum, a statistics professor at the University of Denver, presented results from a recent study showing that out of 103 million hands of Texas Hold'em on PokerStars, three-quarters did not go to showdown. Instead, they were won by the betting of players. Of the 24.3% of hands that went to showdown, the player holding the best hand won just 50.3% of the time. In the other 49.7% of cases, the player who had the best hand folded by the time the cards were flipped over.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest legislative news from South Carolina and around the world.