June 5th, 2014
By Poker Players Alliance
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Weekly Update from Rich Muny, VP of Player Relations
Internet Poker in California a Dream or Reality
There have been so many fits and starts for online poker in California, it is fair to say it has become a saga. While tribal and other state (and out of state) gaming interests have been the central figures in this epic tale the players are also making their feelings known. After all, online poker is a consumer-driven product and if poker players don’t have a say in the outcome, we can’t expect that the products will be well received. That is why we are concerned that certain provisions of a new “consensus” bill offered up by a coalition of California tribes could thwart real progress this year. Most notably, efforts to pick winners and losers by legislating that certain operators can’t even apply for a license goes too far to limit competition and consumer choice. To learn more about the PPA’s position on the “bad actor” provision click here.
PPA’s California State Director outlined his concerns in a recent opinion editorial in Capitol Weekly a widely read political trade publication. I urge you to read this thoughtful piece that calls on California lawmakers to do the right thing to get legislation passed this year. Even though there seems to be a clear divide with influential California tribes the players can be the equalizer.
This is an election year, and more than ever lawmakers need to be responsive to their constituents. If you live in California please be sure you are reading your PPA emails and taking action to get back your game!
Pennsylvania Lawmakers Discuss Online Poker
On Tuesday, a Pennsylvania Senate Committee held a hearing to discuss the state’s gaming policies, including how it should approach Internet gaming. PPA Executive Director attended the hearing and submitted written testimony for the Committee’s review. Nearly every casino with a presence in the state spoke before the committee and provided their thoughts on Internet poker. And for the most part, every casino saw a bright future for Internet poker. A highlight of the hearing was Caesars Sr. Vice President Michael Cohen who laid out a compelling case for regulation and reminded the committee that their first interest should be to protect Pennsylvania consumers from the current unregulated market. On the flip side, was the predictable testimony from Las Vegas Sands and their representative Andy Abboud. During his testimony he called all gambling “a vice” (not just Internet gambling) that needed to be provided selectively to the public. This was certainly perplexing testimony coming from one of the largest gambling companies in the world. Sadly, they must view their customers as potential addicts rather than responsible adults who play poker and casino games for recreation and entertainment.
In all, the proponents of regulation far outweighed the critics. Even the Senators were in agreement that the state should embrace regulation. However, there were mixed signals from the Senators about moving a bill this year. Some suggested that the state should study the matter further before moving forward. The PPA, working with our State Director Willard Darling will continue to advocate for legislative action this year. If you reside in the Keystone State please be sure to read our emails and take action.
Full video of the hearing and complete copies of the testimony are available on the Committee’s website.
PPA Report from the World Series of Poker
Over the past week, the 45th annual World Series of Poker kicked off at the Rio in Las Vegas. PPA Membership Director Bryan Spadaro and Member Relations Manager Dave McGoldrick were on site this past weekend. The WSOP provides PPA a unique opportunity to speak with poker players from all over the country and on a wide variety of topics. Bryan and Dave heard from players about state-by-state regulation of Internet poker, greater access to live poker games in their hometowns and they were able to provide players with guidance on the Full Tilt Poker remission process. These discussions continue to teach us a lot about what is important to poker players and what PPA can do to help.
On top of the great personal connection Bryan and Dave made, they even got to play some poker! Whether it was at a live table or playing on one of the licensed poker sites in Nevada, they enjoyed being able to participate in the game they work to protect every day. Unfortunately their poker skills were not up to par with the great WSOP competition, so we don’t have any bracelets to showcase in our D.C. offices. Even still, it was a great time.
If you are planning to head out for the Main Event this year, make sure to stop by the PPA booth outside of the Amazon room and say hi to Executive Director John Pappas and Grassroots Director Drew Lesofski. We value your input and support and always look forward to hearing what you the player have to say. See you in a few weeks!
The WSOP is the biggest poker event in the world. It is also the only sporting event on earth where everyone is welcome to play. It doesn’t matter if you are one of the best professionals in the world, or an amateur enthusiast, you can compete at the WSOP. Across the world live poker tournaments are growing and much of this growth can be credited to people learning the game online. Please join the PPA today and help us bring safe, regulated Internet poker back to every state in the US. It’s good for poker, it’s good for poker players and it is the right thing to do. We can’t do it without you!
Webcast: Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny
On this week’s Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny webcast, I was joined by Josh Cranfill for a great chat on his upcoming trip to Las Vegas to play in the WSOP Main Event and his disability advocacy efforts. This was followed by a terrific chat with OnTilt Radio CEO & PPA CO State Director Robin Jones. For more on Josh, check out this terrific article on his efforts.
You won’t want to miss this!
- Directly downloadable MP3 file (right click to save, left click to listen)
- Free iTunes download
Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny airs live Monday at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on OnTilt Radio. Each show features great guests and the best discussion on poker legislation. Please be sure to tune in at www.ontiltradio.com each week for the live show.
Update from PPA VP of Player Relations Rich Muny on his Current Status
As many of you know, I have a medical condition that has temporarily put me on the sidelines of the fight. Fortunately, I have surgery scheduled for the next week, after which I will be far from the sidelines, back in the thick of the poker fight! I thank all of you who have taken the time to reach out to wish me the best. Thank you all for your support.
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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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The Poker Players AllianceDedicated to Protecting America’s Favorite Card Game The Poker Players Alliance is a nonprofit membership organization comprised of poker players and enthusiasts from around the United States who have joined together to speak with one voice to promote the game and to protect poker players’ rights. Visit us at theppa.org
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