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Last December, the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) filed a formal complaint with the European Commission alleging discrimination by the United States in its internet gambling practices. The complaint centers around European internet gambling companies being shut out of the U.S. market while the United States “allows domestic online gaming operators, primarily horse betting, to flourish.” Poker News Daily has learned that the European Commission is scheduled to visit Washington, D.C. this month.

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The recent case of Police v Jones, Police v Ravesi [2008] SAMC 62 confirms that poker involves skill and is not merely a game of chance. Although the outcome of this case was dependent on the specific wording of the South Australian statute, it confirms the view taken by most Australian authorities that poker should be treated differently from other games when considering whether unlawful gambling has taken place.

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Conyers, who is uncontested for re-election this year, chairs the House Judiciary Committee, with jurisdiction over gambling issues. He’s now the fourth-biggest recipient of contributions from gambling and casino interests in the House — and the top non-Nevadan.

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On Wednesday night, September 3rd, all eyes in the poker world will be focused squarely on Minneapolis, Minnesota, the site of the 2008 Republican National Convention (RNC). John McCain, the Republican nominee for President of the United States, made waves on Friday by announcing that first-term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would be his running mate. McCain will formally accept his nomination this week at the RNC, which begins on Monday. On Wednesday, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), in conjunction with the American Gaming Association, will hold a charity poker tournament benefiting the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

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Aug. 30 (Bloomberg) — U.S. poker players have anted up for another high-stakes game — lobbying.

Trying to overturn a 2006 U.S. ban on online poker, gamblers have started a lobbying group, established a political action committee, and promoted their effort to politicians by holding poker tournaments at the Republican and Democratic nominating conventions.

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On October 13, 2006, President Bush signed into law the SAFE Port Act. Buried within this legislation dealing with port security issues was a section entitled the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). The UIGEA, which had literally been added at the eleventh hour, has been the source of a great deal of confusion and debate regarding its applicability to internet gambling. The UIGEA did not actually outlaw internet gambling. Rather, it prohibited the transfer of funds from United States financial institutions to internet gambling sites that were not defined in the Act as “legal’ sites (i.e. sites devoted to fantasy sports, online lotteries, and horse/harness racing). The effect of this act has been to move most internet gambling sites off shore and to create confusion for financial institutions whose clients seek to use such sites.

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Denver — Not long after Congress passed a ban on Internet gambling, PR man John Pappas knew he had to be here at the Democratic National Convention.

Pappas represented online poker players. Their ragtag Poker Players Alliance had been stunned by Congress’ midnight approval of the ban late in 2006.

Internet gamblers had been powerless to block the bill. They were only loosely affiliated. They often knew one another only by their online nicknames.

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This fall the House Financial Services Committee is finally expected to release its regulations for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which was signed into law in 2006; banks are anxiously awaiting clarity on a number of fronts, particularly what will entail illegal gambling and what happens if they mistakenly block legal transactions.

The issues are so thorny that House Financial Services panel Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced legislation designed to delay the implementation of said regulations, but the committee rejected the bill during the summer.

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