Poker Legislation Post

Feds Attempt to Seize the Funds of Online Poker Players

PPA broke the news last week informing the poker community about the recent actions taken by the United States Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) to freeze funds from some online poker payment processors. This unprecedented and legally questionable action affected more than 24,000 players and in excess of $30 million of players’ money.

Your PPA has been quick to respond. We assembled a top-notch legal team that is implementing our strategic approach to combat yet another misguided approach to prohibit Americans from playing online poker. We also spent the last week briefing our allies on Capitol Hill and throughout government so they will be prepared to defend your rights.

For a more complete update including the latest on the SDNY situation, please visit this dedicated PPA webpage: PPA Update on SDNY

Poker Players Turn Back Minnesota’s Online Gaming Ban

Not all news is bad on the poker front. Thanks to a coordinated effort between the Minnesota PPA members and a legal challenge brought by iMEGA, the state’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) turned 180 degrees from its ill-conceived directive ordering ISPs to block access to Internet poker, casino gaming, and sport betting sites. Over the course of a few short weeks, PPA members in Minnesota flooded their elected officials and DPS with phone calls and emails decrying this outrageous government intrusion on the right to play poker and the freedom of the Internet.

Responding to the iMEGA legal challenge and to PPA member outrage, last week DPS rescinded its order, recognizing its legal and public policy failings. The most encouraging outcome was their stated desire to explore opportunities to regulate Internet poker and gaming, and not to continue with the ill-advised attempt at a prohibition. John Willems, head of the department’s Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED), stated, “I believe it may be more appropriate to resolve this problem by working to create clear and effective governmental policies concerning regulation of gambling.”

For more PPA response to this positive development click here.

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1. Sign the Poker Petition to President Obama

PPA has a new web site through which you can easily let President Obama know how much you care about your right to play poker. www.PokerPetition.com is open for business, and we need you and all of your friends and family to take 30 seconds to sign the online petition. PPA will deliver the signatures to President Obama later this summer. Click here to sign the petition today!

2. Take the PPA Online Survey

To better serve you, PPA has created a member survey. This will help us better understand our membership and also help us as we represent the poker community before Congress and state officials. Take a few minutes to fill out the survey by clicking here. All of your responses will remain confidential. We are also providing a great incentive. Fill out the survey and be entered to win a PPA custom poker table. We will be giving out three poker tables to randomly selected members who complete the survey. Thank you for your support.

3. What is Your Poker Story?

The Poker Players Alliance wants to hear why you love poker. Over the summer, PPA will be collecting homemade videos for our recently launched website, www.MyPokerStory.com. Uploading your video couldn’t be easier. Go to MyPokerStory.com and learn how you can share your story. For a limited time, if you submit a video, your name will be entered into a drawing to win a two-night vacation in Las Vegas with airfare. Grab your video camera right now, tell us your story, and WIN!

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PPA Advocacy Booth During all 6 Weeks of the World Series of Poker

Playing in any of the WSOP Las Vegas events this year? Your PPA is there with an advocacy booth. Please stop by and take advantage of the political advocacy tools PPA has at your disposal. Send emails to Congress, register to vote, sign the pro-poker petition to lawmakers and tape video testimonials. Plus, at select times throughout the tournament, leading poker professionals will be at our booth to meet PPA members and sign autographs.

Not able to make it to Vegas for the World Series? Not to worry – PPA is live-Twittering from the advocacy booth. Simply follow us at www.twitter.com/ppapoker and www.twitter.com/theengineer2008 to keep up with the action!

Congratulations PPA Member WSOP Seat Winners!

Congratulations to Iain Mann and Karl Fulde recent winners of PPA sponsored seats into the WSOP. On June 9th, Iain Mann won a $1,500.00 buy-in to event #34, $1500 no-limit hold em. He qualified for the drawing by simply sending a letter to his elected officials in support of his right to play poker. Since the start of the WSOP, the PPA has been on site with an advocacy booth that lets the poker community take action … and in this case be rewarded for standing up for our game.

On June 16th, Karl Fulde’s name was drawn for a WSOP $10,000.00 Main Event buy-in sponsored by the PPA.

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