June 19th, 2014
By Poker Players Alliance
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Weekly Update from Rich Muny, VP of Player Relations
Last week, PPA Executive Director John Pappas shared with you the news of PokerStars’ purchase by Amaya. In addition to the fact that many players have expressed their support for enhanced competition, as well as for PokerStars itself, this purchase should hopefully help to reduce some roadblocks to licensing and regulation. I am definitely encouraged by the news.
To hear more from John on this topic, I encourage you to tune in to the Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny webcast Monday evening at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT. John and I will live, discussing this and other poker news. That discussion will be followed by a panel discussion with poker journalists Chris Grove, Diamond Flush, and Steve Ruddock. You can listen live at www.ontiltradio.com.
Webcast: Poker Advocacy with Rich Muny
On this week’s webcast, I was joined by poker journalist Chris Grove for a discussion on the PokerStars/Amaya deal. Following that chat, I was joined by poker activists Mike Qualley, Gail Schiffli and Lori Kolstad for a panel discussion on all things poker.
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.
An Update on PPA Litigation Support
As the turn of political and business events continues to surprise us and present us with new opportunities, so do events related to the legal side of the PPA mission. Last week PPA Litigation Support Director Patrick Fleming was asked to speak on the issue of poker being a game of skill at the North American Gaming Regulators Association (NAGRA) annual conference in Minneapolis, MN. The opportunity to present poker players’ views on this issue before representatives of all the gaming control boards of North America was not to be missed. By all reports Patrick’s presentation was a stunning success. “The event organizer told me all the reviews were favorable and many conference attendees came up to me afterwards to express their thanks and/or support,” said Patrick. “I presented a little history of the issue going back to Mark Twain and then showed video of the famous hand from High Stakes Poker where Tom Dwan bluffs Peter Eastgate off trip 3s and Barry Greenstein off pocket aces. I told the more than 50 regulators in the room that there could be no doubt that skill determined the winner of that hand. A lively discussion then ensued.” Patrick says that all of the contacts he made at the conference were positive and that it was great to let the people responsible for maintaining casino integrity aware of the unique nature of poker and different kind of regulation it needs as opposed to house banked casino games.
Patrick also noted that among the regulators he met at the conference were many from New Jersey, including the regulator responsible for NJ DGE’s geo-location regulations. He indicated to Patrick how much he appreciated feedback from the poker playing community and that he enjoyed following the efforts of Rich Muny’s social media advocacy and had even taken to reading poker forums to see how well the New Jersey system was being received. He concluded by saying he hoped to make sure every eligible player could participate with the least amount of trouble and looked forward to further expansion of the games.
Also, as most of you know from previous newsletters, poker players recently had a great litigation victory in the state of Idaho. Despite what many considered significant legal obstacles, 2 poker players were able to get charges of illegal gambling dismissed after their home game was raided. The PPA was extensively involved in assisting the lawyers in that case and our thanks go out to Mr. Davies and Mr. Bartlett for all the hard work they did. What you may not also know is that this case made national news and may also play a part in whether the first commercial poker games offered in Idaho can continue. Our greatest hope is that cases like this will prompt the state legislature to amend its laws to reflect the reality that poker is here to stay and openly allow both home games and regulated commercial games in Idaho.
Other legal efforts continue and we especially want you to note the effort in Wisconsin. PPA’s WI state director Steve Verret is spearheading the fundraising to undertake a lawsuit designed to return poker games to public places by having poker declared a game of skill under WI law. Contributions to that effort can be made through Steve ([email protected]) and we hope everyone with an interest in WI poker will do what they can to help.
The PPA reminds you that all dues-paying members have access to the Litigation Support Network whatever your poker-related legal question might be. Contact Patrick at [email protected].
Michigan Charitable Gaming Update
PPA is continuing to work with the Michigan Charitable Gaming Association in their efforts to pass Senate Bill 878, a bill that will re-establish charitable gaming activities and rescind administrative rules that prohibit bingo games, millionaire parties, or charity gaming.
Last year, the MCAS in association with 11 charities, sued the state to block the new rules imposed on charities by the Michigan Gaming Control Board. A judge granted the MCAS an injunction and a trial is set for later this year.
SB878 (read here) is currently stuck in the Michigan State House where it is being blocked by Governor Rick Snyder and Speaker of the House Jase Bolger.
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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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