Poker Player Alliance Alert

The Poker Player Alliance issued an alert about banning online poker games.

Again, Congress is trying to ban something instead of regulating it. There is so much that Congress can do to regulate online games of chance to protect the players and make it more fair for everyone. I would like to see the following done to online poker.

1. Legalize card games (poker, blackjack) as games of skills.
2. Regulations to tax or gather revenue.
3. Regulations that will help protect the poker players:
1. Cheating - bots,
   
2. Security - hipaa like regulations.
   
3. Identity/Agency -
   
1. single user, single person, single machine
   
2. 21 years of age.
   
4. Posting rack structures on the game.
1. When will the rack wars begin?
   
5. Bankroll protection
   
4. Legal regulations to protect online gambling companies
1. Fraud - Legal action against cheaters
   

There seems to be problem with identity and people losing too much money, I think you could address this by limiting the size of bankroll you can start with and credit transaction. Under age gambling may be a problem as well, but banning it will not solve this problem.

Here's the alert from the Poker Players Alliance.

Recent actions in the nation’s capitol are clear signs that federal lawmakers are determined to ban online poker. On February 16, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and his supporters held a press conference to announce the introduction of H.R. 4777. If passed, this bill would make outlaws of on-line poker players!

Goodlatte and other members of Congress use this bill in a misguided attempt to lump poker in with other forms of gambling. Although they claim to have an exclusion for games with a “predominance of skill,” poker has been singled out. As Goodlatte says, “…technology has allowed for new types of electronic gambling, including interactive games on the Internet such as poker and blackjack, which may not clearly be included within the types of gambling currently made illegal by the Wire Act.” So he is really targeting poker players who enjoy the game online.

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Rep. Goodlatte’s bill has already gathered 115 co-sponsors representing districts in 36 different states. Use the links in the box to the left to determine if your Member of Congress has signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 4777. Please click here and voice your opposition to this legislation. Let your member of Congress know that we are a strong and unified voice to keep poker legal.The Poker Players Alliance is committed to defeating this kind of egregious government intrusion into our personal lives. And with your help, we can succeed!

If you have a minute, please contact your representative.