PPA on Capitol Hill
Even in the midst of intense debate on solving the U.S. debt crisis, the PPA and its lobbying team met with several lawmakers and their staffs to garner their support for Internet poker legislation. We received a few commitments of co-sponsorship and those names should officially be added as supporters of H.R. 2366 in the coming days.
On Wednesday the PPA participated in a Congressional staff briefing and demo hosted by Congressman Joe Barton (lead sponsor of H.R. 2366) put on by BetClic/Everest Group a leading European online gaming and online poker provider. The briefing/demo was very well attended. It provided Congressional staff unique insight on how a U.S. regulated Internet poker company can employ technologies to support strong consumer protections. Representatives from BetClic/Everest showed how they manage age-verification, mitigate problem gambling and prevent cheating and collusion. Further, they explained how regulation allows for unfettered flow of funds between a player and their poker account and how the banking industry and law enforcement welcome the clarity of a regulated market. All in attendance were treated to an excellent briefing on how Internet poker can be effectively regulated.
We look forward to updating you next week on new cosponsors and new developments on Capitol Hill.
Click here to listen to a recent interview with John Pappas.
Meet your Member of Congress in August
Very soon Congress will be breaking for its annual August recess. This is typically the time when Members of Congress have the opportunity to spend time in their districts and meet with you, their constituents, and participate in a variety of public events, including townhall meetings. Townhalls are a great opportunity for poker players and advocates to participate in the most basic form of representative government by interacting with your Member of Congress on issues important to you. The PPA has put together a useful guide that gives you the ins and outs of learning about townhall meetings.
Please click here to learn more about how you can be an August Advocate for poker.
Weekly Update from Rich Muny, VP of Player Relations
I wish to again convey my gratitude in allowing me the honor of serving as your player relations chief over the past two months and as one of your representatives on the PPA Board of Directors over the past four years. I am humbled by your support and I appreciate it greatly. Thank you.
I am pleased that PPA was able to reach out to the poker community via its booth at this year’s World Series of Poker. Having spent much of July in Las Vegas, I enjoyed meeting with many poker players, poker enthusiasts, poker community leaders, and poker media. It was a great trip. More importantly, hearing your concerns and needs first-hand will be of great help to me and to the organization going forward.
Most discussion — unsurprisingly — centered on passing online poker legislation. Congressman Joe Barton’s (R-TX) Online Poker Act continues to gain steam in the House. You can help the prospects of this legislation right now. Simply visit the PPA Take Action page and tell your elected representatives that you demand action on poker legislation. PPA has made it easy via prewritten letters and detailed action plans. I ask that you take a few minutes to participate in this important action. Will you take a stand for our rights as poker players?
I also had the honor of meeting with presidential candidate former Governor Gary Johnson (R-NM).
I am very pleased that a candidate for high office understands the importance of outreach to the poker community. It shows how far we have come since the dark days leading up to passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, when politicians mistakenly believed opposing our right to play was politically beneficial. For a reminder of the situation before we poker players organized for the fight back, please take a look at the
UIGEA House Testimony from July 11, 2006 and observe how lawmakers were tripping over one another to condemn online poker.
While it was great meeting many of you face-to-face, I recognize that many of you were not able to make it to this year’s WSOP and I hope to hear from you as well. As many know from personal experience, I regularly communicate directly with players on several online forums under my online handle “TheEngineer” and via phone and
email. If you have anything on your mind that you would like to discuss, I ask that you will reach out and let me know. Your emails go directly to my laptop inbox and iPhone, so please be assured that you are always connected directly to me and to the organization.
With that, I thank you all for your continued support in this fight for our rights as poker enthusiasts!
Proud to play,
Rich Muny
[email protected]
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.
