By
Dan
The United States is moving closer to a ban on online gambling. On May 25, 2006, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act passed the House Judiciary Committee. Two weeks later, one website took action: PocketFives.com teamed up with the Poker Players Alliance to sponsor Write Your Congressmen Day on June 15, 2006. The grassroots campaign targeted lawmakers who, in their hands, have the future of a $12 billion industry.
The initiative was simple: Encourage as many people as possible to e-mail their Congressmen on one day by visiting www.pocketfives.com, representing the voice of the online poker player. With an influx of e-mail against the legislation, lawmakers would realize that a large number of Americans enjoy playing online poker. The argument was simple: Unlike online blackjack or craps, online poker is a game of skill, not chance. Online poker can be winnable in the long-run. The solution: Tax online poker or regulate online poker, as long as a game enjoyed by 23 million Americans remains playable. The support was simple: A March, 2006 Wall Street Journal poll claimed that 85% of Americans oppose federal efforts to ban online gambling.
All that remained was to spread the word about Write Your Congressmen Day. On Wednesday night, June 14, 2006, PocketFives.com co-owner Adam Small appeared on The David Lawrence Show, heard nation-wide on satellite radio and in syndication. Small and Lawrence bantered as to the morality of an online poker ban and to the degree to which the United States government should become involved. “This bill affects anyone who does something many people disapprove of,” said Small. “PocketFives.com began Write Your Congressmen Day today because of this show.” The show is available for download at www.thedavidlawrenceshow.com.
Once the clock struck midnight on Thursday, June 15, 2006, Write Your Congressmen Day was in full swing. Poker Players Alliance President Michael Bolcerek appeared on PocketFives.com’s weekly half-hour Podcast. “The best thing people can do is let their Congressmen know” they do not support banning online poker, said Bolcerek. “The genie is out of the bottle. Internet poker is an industry. Let’s regulate and tax it the same way we do casinos in Las Vegas.” Visit www.pokerplayersalliance.org for more information.
Other online poker forums also supported Write Your Congressmen Day. NeverWinPoker.com, FullContactPoker.com, PokerPlasma.com, PokerRoom.com, PokerNews.com, and other sites helped to spread the word to their members about the importance of e-mailing their Congressmen. “Hopefully we can get a good turnout from a bunch of different poker communities,” said Jordan Scott of FullContactPoker.com. The result: 5,000 e-mails sent to Representatives and Senators around the country.
“We’re very encouraged by the turnout. Write Your Congressmen Day was a resounding success. We’d like to thank everyone who helped to try and preserve online poker in the United States by sending 5,000 e-mails. Hopefully, went sent a message today,” said PocketFives.com President Cal Spears. “We also hope this is not the end; keep calling and e-mailing your Congressmen to fight the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.” For all the latest news on online poker, visit www.pocketfives.com.
No timetable is currently in place for the House of Representatives to vote on the bill. The Poker Players Alliance expects a vote at any time. “If this legislation passes the House, we’ll be fighting it in the Senate,” says Spears. “Come to www.pocketfives.com for all the latest news on the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act. Also, be sure to visit www.pokerplayersalliance.org to become a member of this great lobbying group. Together, we can help keep online poker a vibrant industry in the United States.”