Check out our brand new Local Poker Communities! Get updates and interact with poker players in your area.
Visit the United States Poker Community | Visit the California Poker Community | Read more about the Launch of P5s Local

**How can we stop this?(Kentucky attempts to block online gambling)**

Reply to Thread
  1. TookURCookie TookURCookie is offline

    CT
    United States

    Posts: 104
    Joined: Oct 06

    Sep 22nd, 2008 (9/22/2008 10:29pm)

    Could this be the end of online poker in the US ?

    http://www.majorwager.com/forums/mes...ing-sites.html

    http://www.thedomains.com/wp-content...main-names.pdf
    -pokerstars.com
    -FullTiltPoker.com
    -every other site!!!.com
     
  2. Jennifear Jennifear is offline

    Niagara Falls, NY
    United States

    Posts: 10,222
    Joined: Nov 05

    Sep 22nd, 2008 (9/22/2008 11:04pm) in reply to TookURCookie

    Call your governor, and voice your loud displeasure.

    Edit: Never mind, you are in Georgia. Call up your friends in Kentucky, and tell them to voice their loud displeasure.

    http://governor.ky.gov/contact/ <<there ya go, have a blast!
  3. TheEngineer TheEngineer is offline Rich Muny - PPA Board VP

    KY
    United States

    Posts: 2,830
    Joined: Nov 07

    Sep 23rd, 2008 (9/23/2008 8:28pm) in reply to Jennifear

    I wrote a letter yesterday in response. Kentucky residents can send it via the PPA system:
    • click here to send letters to your State Representative and State Senator.
    • call Beshear at (502) 564-2611 to tell him to keep his hands off YOUR Internet
    PPA sent an alert to all 16,000 KY members. We had the phone lines clogged today, and we'll keep on them. PPA is also reviewing all other legal options.

    Here's the letter:

    As a constituent, voter, poker player, and proud Kentuckian. I am writing to express my outrage over recent actions by the Commonwealth to attempt to seize domain names of online poker sites. Poker is a game of skill that I believe was unfairly and improperly included in this action, and I request the removal of the poker-only sites from this list.

    When you said, "(u)nlicensed Internet gambling significantly undermines and threatens horseracing, Kentucky's signature industry and a key tourism industry, by creating unregulated and untaxed competition," surely you were not referring to poker. Poker is a game of skill in which enthusiasts match wits. It's difficult to imagine money flowing from horse racing to the unrelated activity of poker. Additionally, Internet poker is not unregulated - it is fully regulated in its home jurisdiction. Also, it's not true that online poker is untaxed - poker income is taxed at the state and federal levels. The industry itself is not taxed because Kentucky chooses to not levy a tax. The industry is not regulated by the Commonwealth because Kentucky has chosen not to license and regulate poker sites, either. Were Kentucky to do so, I believe the poker sites would jump at the opportunity, and I fully support legislation to implement this.

    When you said, "(u)nlicensed, unregulated, illegal Internet gambling poses a tremendous threat to the citizens of the Commonwealth because of its ease, availability and anonymity," this certainly cannot pertain to poker. Besides not being illegal in the Commonwealth, there is no such thing as anonymous online poker play. Poker sites carefully track and verify identities and ages of all participants by using verification systems equal to those used by www.youbet.com and www.twinspires.com, two horse race wagering sites with extensive Kentucky operations (and that are not on your list). If the "ease, availability and anonymity" of these sites is acceptable, surely that of poker is acceptable as well. In fact, the casinos you championed in your run for office offered far more ease and anonymity than online poker sites offer, with roughly the same availability.

    Poker players from across the Commonwealth strongly opposed former Gov. Fletcher's attacks on poker prior to last year's election. In fact, over one thousand poker players wrote to him to let him know of their ire regarding his anti-poker position. Poker players supported you because of your outspoken support for the freedom to participate in activities like poker. I hope we were not mistaken in giving you our support.

    Poker is a great American pastime. Presidents such as FDR and Harry Truman, Chief Justices such as William Rehnquist and William Howard Taft, members of Congress, generals, and average Kentuckians alike, have enjoyed poker for more than 150 years. It is an honorable game.

    What's most important to me is your support for our rights. Please respond to this letter and let me know if you will support our freedoms. I will continue to watch your actions on this issue closely. I hope that I, along with my over 16,000 fellow Kentucky Poker Players Alliance members (and over one million Poker Players Alliance members nationwide), can count on your support.

    Thank you for your consideration.

    Respectfully yours,
     
Reply to Thread

Similar Threads