Following is a letter sent to Virginia's new Senator from a Virginia member. Thought some would like to see it.
Jeff Gregson
Va. State Director
Dear Senator-elect Warner:
Here's an idea, that while controversial and what some could consider immoral would make many Americans happy and generate huge revenues for the US Government with no tax increases!
Millions of Americans already enjoy this pastime, myself included. We enjoy the challenges, competition, excitement, possible profits, and camaraderie we experience while playing online poker.
Recently, the government, through last minute legislation tied to an unrelated bill, has tried to outlaw this hobby enjoyed by many. The idea was to stop money flow offshore to the gaming concerns located outside the US. I fully support the concept of stopping the money flow offshore, but the regulations aren't working. It only took a matter of days for these offshore operators to figure a way to get around the regulations.
This has caused many Americans to be in violation of a poorly thought-out law. Just this Sunday, I went on the one of the sites, and it showed over 200,000 people in play at one time. Most of these were Americans. One can go on this site at any time and regularly see over 100,000 people playing at any given moment, again, mostly Americans. I guess that makes it obvious that the new regulation is failing, much as alcohol prohibition did. It seems to be very easy to circumvent the regulation. The result of poorly thought out legislation is that it's not working at all. How can we fix this problem?
Poker is not gambling in the truest sense. There is a lot of skill and strategy involved. This has been proven many times. There is a component of luck involved, but no more that any sport which is currently legal in this country, and much less than legalized bingo, lotteries, etc.
Does it take skill to win a golf tourney, bowling championship, the Super Bowl, the World Series or a NASCAR race? Sure it does, but it also requires a degree of luck, just like poker. These games only monetarily benefit a select talented few, while poker can benefit anyone who studies the strategies and applies them rationally. It doesn't take an athletic skill which one must be born with.
Personally, I have never been athletic enough to compete in professional athletics, have you? However, I am competitive in cards, board games, etc. I do have a dream to be exceptional in poker, and I fully believe it to be possible, but the government is trying to take it away. At my age and physical ability, I can not even dream of being successful in any other paid sport. Please allow my dream to continue.
If the US Government legalized online poker; not full casinos where table games which require much more luck and less skill, we all would be winners. Full casinos, which by the way are legal in many states, are the truest form of gambling, and create serious problems for those who can not control their impulses. In poker, one must prove that their knowledge and skills are better than their opponents', just like any sport, not some gaming institution where the odds have been carefully calculated over many years to benefit the casino and take advantage of the player.
Here is the solution:
First is to form a national gaming commission. The gaming commission would allow companies who already have brick and mortar businesses established in this country or any other AMERICAN enterprise to begin online gaming. The results would be amazing.
1) Americans who are currently circumventing the regulations could enjoy their hobby legally.
2) A regulated industry would discourage illegal or immoral actions which one could experience in the current atmosphere.
3) A tax on the Americanized industry could be created to the benefit of ALL Americans, and fully fund the commission.
4) Current legal gaming concerns revenues would increase as they enter the new area, creating more TAXABLE income for them. Their stock prices would increase, helping American investors and increasing the investors' TAXABLE income!
5) Foreigners would then be forced to play on the US sites as that's where the majority of the players would then be playing. This would create an INFLOW of money into our country, monies which are currently flowing to offshore countries!
6) Americans who currently profit from playing, but do not report the income derived from it would be forced to report the profits as TAXABLE income. Should the research be done, I believe this would be a very large number!
7) Many jobs would be created in the new industry, creating TAXABLE income and removing some from the public dole.
8) Excitement generated from what could become a National pastime could generate huge sums of money through related promotions. This equals more incoming tax dollars!
This is a game (some would call a sport) which is already being played legally in many states at brick and mortar casinos, and is already being regulated and taxed. Why not spread the benefit to ALL states?
I'm sure there are other benefits, as there are some pitfalls, however, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives. This route would do much more to stop the flow of American dollars offshore than current legislation which is clearly not working at all! Let us become an importer of gaming dollars, rather than an exporter! Let's put the internet to work to generate benefits for our great country which other countries are already enjoying!
Please give this your thorough attention It deserves it! Solve some budget problems, and let US Citizens legally enjoy a competitive hobby! We all WIN!
I look forward to your response! God Bless, and Good Fortune to you in your new position!
Richard Starnes