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Weekly Update from Rich Muny, VP of Player Relations
The drumbeat for action on online poker legislation continues to grow on Capitol Hill and in statehouses across America. Much credit is due to the commitment of the poker community. We have all refused to back down and have told Congress that we will never fold in this fight!
Telling our elected representatives that we want them to support online poker does more than simply push Congress to move legislation. While that is a great thing in and of itself, grassroots advocacy also helps PPA’s lobbyists on the Hill to advocate for player-friendly provisions. These include issues that impact the rake, tax fairness, the number of states participating, and plenty of other issues of importance to us – the players.
As an online limit hold’em player, one big issue I have seen personally is in the rake (the amount of each pot sites retain for providing the service). While rake may seem small on a per-hand basis at first glance, it adds up quickly for pros as well as for recreational players. Congress will not set a low rake legislatively via price controls, but they do have control over the level of competition in the marketplace. PPA is actively lobbying to maximize participation in the online market, thus ensuring healthy competition in rake and promotions.
PPA is also actively fighting for income tax fairness for players who file taxes as amateurs. This issue can be addressed either in the initial legislation or – more likely – in a subsequent bill. Either way, we all have to do our part now to lay the groundwork for that important effort.
Another issue is in state opt-outs. Congress will not force unwilling states to participate in online poker and will include a mechanism for states to opt out of any poker bill. Under some proposals, states will have to tell the federal government that they will not allow their residents to participate (if they say nothing, they are in). Under others, states will have to tell the federal government that their residents can participate to be in (if they say nothing, they are out). Yet other proposals provide for various hybrid approaches based on types of gaming currently permitted in each state. These approaches would result in different numbers of states allowing their residents to play on the new licensed poker sites. PPA is lobbying for provisions that would provide for maximum participation.
To succeed here and in the overall fight for legislation, it is important that we all do our part to advocate for the game. Will you do your part? Many groups are lobbying for online poker. Only PPA is lobbying for online poker players.
PC World’s very favorable review of the poker community’s social networking activism compared our efforts to Arab Spring and other world events of great significance. The efforts of the poker community are having a real impact. Let’s keep it up!
Take Action
Let’s all send the fully editable prewritten letters to our elected representatives. Simply click the buttons below (or here). It takes less than one minute! Please be sure to have your friends and family send emails as well. We will be updating this letter next week, so please get this one out now so you can send the new one as well. Thanks!
Interviews
PPA comes before poker media to take on the tough questions. This past week’s interviews focused on action on Capitol Hill and on continuing actions to advocate for the game.
Upcoming Appearances:
- Webcast: “Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny” airs live each Monday at 8:30 PM ET on OnTilt Radio (listen live here).
- Webcast: “Short Stacked Radio’s PPA Weekly Update” airs live each Tuesday at 9:30 ET (listen live here)
Recent Appearances:
- OnTilt Radio: Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny, with guests PPA founding Board of Director member & Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson, followed by PPA CO State Director & OnTilt Radio CEO Robin Jones (4/2/2012) (listen here)
- Pokerfuse: PPA on Federal Legislation Chances, and How Kyl Could Help Online Poker (4/1/2012) (read here)
- Short Stacked Radio: PPA Weekly Update. I come on at time point 1:22:45 of Part 1 (3/27/12) (listen here)
Past Interviews:
- Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny, with webcast archive: ontiltradio.com/ppa
- Short Stacked Radio PPA Weekly Update, with webcast archive: shortstackedradio.com/the-ppa-weekly-update/
- PPA on Quadjacks Radio: click here
Thank you for your continued support!
Membership Benefit Announcement
If you didn’t already know, PPA supporter HogWild Poker Leagues is giving 40,000 “HogBucks” to all dues paying 2012 PPA members – a $20 value on top of all the other great benefits of PPA membership.
And for PPA members, this deal just got even better! In addition to the top 15 players every month winning a $500 buy in to a live poker tournament of their choice, the PPA member closest to 15th place every month will also receive a $500 buy in package as well. That’s right, claim your free Hog Bucks and compete against other PPA members for an exclusive $500 prize each month of the staking series!
For details, please visit: http://go.theppa.org/hwp
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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