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Weekly Update from Rich Muny, VP of Player Relations
PPA is returning to the World Series of Poker™ at the Rio Hotel & Casino Friday, June 21st and Saturday, June 22nd. Executive Director John Pappas, Director of Membership & PokerPAC Bryan Spadaro, and I will be on hand at the PPA booth to meet with the poker community regarding the latest in the push for Internet poker legislation, all PPA is doing, and what members can do to support the fight for poker.
Please try to stop by if you are in town for the WSOP. John, Bryan, and I hope to meet you there!
DiCristina Appeal
When Lawrence DiCristina started hosting a friendly poker game in some empty space in a New York warehouse, he probably wasn’t thinking he would become a center of legal attention, but he has. Prosecuted by the federal government under the Illegal Gambling Business Act (IGBA), DiCristina and his attorney turned to PPA for help in presenting his defense.
Aided by PPA’s team of lawyers and experts, DiCristina mounted the first federal challenge to laws that people had long assumed cover poker; he argued that poker is a game of predominantly skill, that IGBA does not specifically enumerate poker as “illegal gambling,” and that IGBA’s definition of “illegal gambling” requires the government to prove the game is a game of chance.
And…he won! In a now-famous 120 page opinion, highly respected Judge Jack B. Weinstein of the Eastern District of New York ruled — after listening to hours and hours of expert testimony — that poker is, in fact, a game predominated by skill and that, as a result, it does NOT fit under IGBA’s definition of illegal gambling. IGBA, you may recall, was also the primary law used by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the Black Friday prosecutions. The importance of this legal issue is clear.
The DOJ appealed Judge Weinstein’s ruling to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Interestingly, the DOJ declined to challenge Judge Weinstein’s ruling that poker is a game of predominantly skill. Instead they are only arguing that he interpreted IGBA incorrectly. Nonetheless, the ruling of the 2nd Circuit in this case will no doubt have a significant and lasting effect on the future of legal poker.
The oral argument for the case will take place in NYC TODAY, June 19, and your PPA Litigation Support Director, Patrick “Skallagrim” Fleming, will be in attendance. Please follow Skall’s reports on Twitter (@Skallagrim1), read his posts on this on the 2+2 Poker Legislation forum, and read the full update in next week’s PPA update.
Oregon Anti-Poker Bill Dies
Earlier this year, Oregon State Representative Julie Parrish introduced H.B.3518, a bill that would have shut down lawful social poker rooms, allowing poker only at events held by charitable, fraternal and religious organizations or at the nine tribal casinos in the state.
Rep. Parrish’s bill failed to gain much traction. Representative Chris Garrett who chairs of the House Rules Committee stated, “I don’t sense any appetite in the Legislature to shut them down.”
Last month, H.B. 3518 had a hearing before the House Rules Committee, where it was discovered the at the majority of support for the bill was coming from casino operators in La Center, Washington, who would rather not have the competition from Oregon card rooms.
The bill is now officially dead. I thank everyone who took a stand against this egregious measure. Be assured that PPA will be closely monitoring the Oregon Legislature for any future anti-poker legislation.
New PPA Pennsylvania State Director
Willard Darling of Luzerne, PA, has been selected as the Pennsylvania state director. In this role, Willard will be responsible for monitoring poker-related issues and events in Pennsylvania, informing the national PPA office of emerging trends or issues, as well as leading PPA activities in the state.
“With more than one million dedicated members, the PPA’s grassroots network continues to be a commanding force, and we are very fortunate to have Willard help lead the unwavering members of Pennsylvania,” said former Senator & PPA Chairman Alfonse D’Amato, chairman. “As a dedicated advocate for safe and regulated poker in the U.S., Willard’s steadfast motivation and passion for the game will strengthen the PPA’s efforts both nationally and at the state level. We are proud to have him as part of our team.”
Willard’s passion for poker originated from his father, who taught him how to play poker as a young man. Willard is an avid player of Omaha and Texas Hold ‘em, his favorite game. Since Black Friday, Willard has frequented the casino poker rooms playing tournaments and cash games, including Texas Hold‘em, Omaha, 7 card stud, 1-2 no limit Hold‘em, and 2-4 limit Hold‘em. He strongly believes poker is a game of skill.
As the Pennsylvania state director, Willard will serve as PPA’s “eyes and ears” and alert members on local news stories or legislation involving poker. He will be responsible for alerting his fellow Pennsylvania PPA members to poker-related events or rallies, recruiting individuals to join the PPA, encouraging members to contact their elected officials on relevant issues, and serving as a spokesperson for local media.
The State Directors program is one component of the PPA’s aggressive campaign to boost member benefits, augment its grassroots efforts and position the organization and its members as a strong voice in national, state and local policy debates. To learn more about the PPA State Directors program, please visit www.theppa.org.
New Online Poker Documentary
BET RAISE FOLD: The Story of Online Poker is a feature documentary that follows a new generation of Internet poker professionals during the meteoric rise and sudden crash of the multibillion dollar online poker industry of the 2000s. The film is produced by Jay Rosenkrantz (Film & Television BA, Boston University ’06), online poker pro and producer of G4TV’s “2 Months 2 Million,” and Taylor Caby, professional online poker player and co-founder and CEO of poker training site CardRunners.
The documentary follows three online poker professionals: a mother working to secure a stable future for her family, a hyper-intelligent player grinding the highest stakes among the poker elite, and a world-traveling pro who now finds his calling in front of a television camera and not just a computer screen. Shot from inside the eye of the storm, BET RAISE FOLD captures how the fallout from “Black Friday” ripped the livelihoods from these players.
The film premiered in Las Vegas at the Palms Casino on June 13th and will be available for streaming on June 30th at www.betraisefoldmovie.com. You can view the movie trailer there as well.
Here’s a terrific deleted scene:
Join PPA
A 2013 PPA membership is the smartest bet for the future of our game. Join today for only $15 to receive the great benefits of membership and to help us continue the fight for our rights as poker players!
Interviews
Recent appearance:
- Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny on OnTilt Radio (6/18): I was joined by by a panel featuring activists Gail Schiffli, “rwperu34″, and “foxiefox22″ to discuss player activism. Listen and/or download the podcast here or on iTunes here.
Upcoming Appearance:
- The Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny webcast on OnTilt Radio airs live each Monday at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT. Listen live here.
Interview archives:
- Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny: show archive, free iTunes download
- Fifth Street Radio PPA Weekly Update: site archive, free iTunes download
Social Media
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Thank you for your continued support!
The PPA wishes to keep active members like yourself updated on the latest poker advocacy news by periodically sending out select events and headlines. We hope you find it informative and thank you for your continuing support.
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