02.26.07
Rallying ‘Round the Table
Other news today brings the ‘ray-of-hope’ motif to light once again. In the aftermath of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act of 2006 – in the immediate aftermath – the Poker Players Alliance has done much to generate popular and powerful support for the online poker industry. The most recent development in the fight to restore or at least confirm the legality of online poker, former New York Senator, Alfonse D’Amato has been tapped to sit as PPA Chairman.
Reports indicate that the PPA courted the three-term New York senator to represent the interests of deep-pocketed online poker businesses.
When the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act was passed at the end of last year, its purpose was clearly to put an end to the online betting of American-based poker players. Shortly after it was passed, lawyers across the United States began fielding enquiries from online gaming entrepreneurs whose activities, taking and recording bets fro American-based players, put them in real danger of prosecution by an increasingly combative Department of Justice.
Enter Alfonse D’Amato on behalf of the PPA, his nomination for PPA Chairman recently nominated by the group’s board of directors.
The PPA united leaders of several major online poker sites in the face of well-founded fears of anti-gaming legislation. The purpose has been very precisely explained: theirs was a bid to convince Congress to separate poker from proposed legislation that had labored in both Houses for years, without resolution. During the 2006 World Series of Poker, for example, the PPA hosted a reception for a number of important figures to promote the interests and the legality of online poker playing.
The Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act was signed into law by the President on October 13, 2006. Since then, numerous online gaming businesses determined with their counsels that they were on the ropes. The US-based players who continue to navigate the online gaming world are tails-spinning in the face of the new legislation. Related businesses are also struggling to evaluate the economic fallouts as pressures mount for them to abandon the American market.
Enter Alfonse D’Amato playing the best advocate for the poker industry. If he and the Federalist Group with whom he will collaborate are able to succeed in their efforts, the benefits will be felt far beyond the interests of big online gaming companies. Senator D’Amato is well known for his commitment to the little people among his constituents. His support for big business and his interest in poker are equally sincere and well-known. He has been an avid poker player in home games for years.
Most important of all, the senator brings to the table his credentials as a mover and shaker in Washington. He’s also expected to bring sincerity to the more global cause of the estimated 140,000 members of the PPA. With Alfonse D’Amato on board, PPA chances of attracting a million-plus members, may exponentially increased. Who could be a better pick to advocate for the right to play poker in your pajamas if you are so inclined-in the privacy of your home?
