U.S.BANNING ATTEMPT STIMULATES POKER PLAYERS ALLIANCE GROWTH

(181) (28-jul-06)

Membership doubles in two short weeks since House of Representatives vote against online gambling

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), a grassroots organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting the game, announced with some satisfaction this week that membership has more than doubled since the U.S. House of Representatives voted to ban online poker.

PPA spokesmen revealed that current membership figures are around 75 000 and growing.

President Michael Bolcerek attributes the stunning growth to the recent attempts by Congress to prohibit Internet gambling in the United States.

"This large jump in membership shows that American poker players are coming to the defence of a game they love. With the rising threat to the online game, poker players are starting to become politically savvy," said Bolcerek. "More than 70 million people in the United States enjoy poker. In a day and age where computers dominate our daily lives, we must embrace rather than criminalise advances in technology that allow us the opportunity to play this long-established pastime on the Internet. The right approach is regulation of online poker, not prohibition of America's card game."

Earlier this month, the U. S. House of Representative approved legislation that would block payments from both banks and credit card companies to online gambling sites. The bill, known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act 2006  (H.R. 4111), has the potential to deny access to gaming sites altogether and force Web site operators to become watchdogs for the federal government. While outlawing Internet poker, the bill exempts other forms of online gambling such as horse racing, fantasy sports and Internet lotteries.

Legislation similar to H.R. 4111 is now being pushed in the U.S. Senate.

"These membership numbers send a message to Congress that poker has a strong following in this country. As the organisation continues to grow in members and influence, we fully intend to make these tens of thousands of new voices heard in the halls of Congress," said Bolcerek.