The Poker Players Alliance is about to reach the 500,000-member
mark, a significant milestone for a group that had 120,000 members just
four months ago.

The 400% growth in membership has been fueled by outrage over the
arrests of NETeller’s cofounders and the subsequent seizures of money,
the high-profile appointment of former Senator Alfonse D’Amato chairman
of the board, and a series of PokerStars freerolls that registered
tournament entrants.

The result is an impressive base — one that D’Amato and PPA
President Michael Bolcerek believe will lead to online poker regulation
and licensing in the U.S.

But what do the numbers actually mean on Capitol Hill?

“It’s not really about the numbers,” said Massie Ritsch,
Communications Director for the Center for Responsive Politics in
Washington D.C. “You can have a hundred supporters, and if they’re
active and trying to communicate with their elected officials and
coming to Washington, those few hundred members can do the work of a
million people. You can also give the impression of having more people,
but really have very little actual power.”

Lobbying is less about membership figures and more about money and
access, says Linda Killian, Director of the Boston University
Washington Journalism Center and author of The Freshmen: What Happened to the Republican Revolution.
She believes the addition of D’Amato is a more significant step than
500,000 members because former Senators typically have access to the
power structure in Washington.

“Former administration members and Congressman are at the top of
the lobby pyramid,” Killian said. “They spend three to five years in
the capital (on average), build up a wealth of connections, and
instantly they become very valuable as a lobbyist.”

Killian, whose expertise is in politics, not gambling, said a name
like D’Amato’s can add a certain level of prestige to a lobby,
increasing the group’s access level. And with access comes face time
with committees and potential decision makers.

Money is also important

The PPA spent $560,000 in direct lobbying efforts last year, 100 percent more than they spent in 2005, according to www.opensecrets.org .
This puts them on par with land-based casinos and gambling companies.
The MGM Mirage was the largest gambling contributor in 2006, spending
$851,085 in 2006. Harrah’s Entertainment was second with $531,221.

“People on Capitol Hill responds to two things, money and votes,” Killian said.

Both Killian and Ritsch believe a large membership base is only
effective if the people involved are active. The PPA claims to be a
grassroots organization, one capable of mobilizing its members to cause
changes in Congress. But grassroots efforts tend to be hit or miss,
according to Ritsch.

Killian said writing letters to Congressman and picking up the phone
can have a large impact. Ritsch echoed the sentiment, but said
narrow-issued activist groups, like the PPA, are often filled with
“casual members,” people who appear on paper, but never really show up
when it’s time to influence a vote.

“It’s called Astroturf Lobbing,” Ritsch said. “It’s a pretty
common trick of the trade to form a coalition, fund it with industry
money, then put a paint of coat on it that makes it appear like there’s
a lot of active members.”

It comes down to involvement

D’Amato freely admits that much of the PPA’s money and clout comes
from industry leaders who have an eye on the profitable U.S. online
gaming market. But he said this is true of any lobbying effort and
believes the number speak for themselves.

“I have a doctor friend who’s outraged that he can’t play online
poker in his home,” D’Amato said. “He’s an example of the type of
members we have. The small guy, who is resentful of a bill pushed
through in the dead of night, of the power that resides in just a
handful of people.”

And according to the experts, the PPA’s success will hinge more on
the outrage of these “small guys,” rather than the 500,000 members.

“Certain members of Congress will pay attention and be impressed by
the membership number alone,” Ritsch said. “But most are savvy enough
to see when it’s really an industry behind the effort. When it comes
down to it, will one of these online poker players be willing to put in
the effort to write a letter or come to Washington? Will they be
willing to skim some of their winnings to make a contribution? If they
do, who knows, there may be an election or two that swings on a
candidate’s online gaming position. But online poker players have not
established themselves as an influential group the way senior citizens,
gun rights, and abortion opponents have.”

“In the end, it comes down to how much the members are willing to do,” Ritsch said.

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Author Contact Info: Ryan McLane, Casino City Times