Poker Players Alliance Focusing Efforts on State Level
To open the 2010 calendar year, officials from the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) have largely focused their energies on the state level, including Florida, California, Alaska, and Delaware.
With momentum on Capitol Hill largely riding on the shoulders of Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), the Chairman of the powerful House Financial Services Committee, the PPA has gradually turned towards the movement to legalize and regulate online poker at the state level. In Florida, calls for legalized intrastate online poker have been building, leading PPA Executive Director John Pappas to testify in front of the Florida Senate Regulated Industries Committee in February.
Despite the seemingly positive introduction of intrastate internet gambling legislation, the PPA has been cautious about throwing its full weight behind any bill. In an update to PPA members sent recently, the organization explained its skepticism: “Florida is contemplating a single-source provider of online poker, i.e. one poker website. PPA is concerned that the lack of competition and consumer choice could also negatively impact the player experience.”
Pappas told Poker News Daily that building an online poker site from the ground up is far from an easy endeavor: “The idea that they’ll be able to maintain liquidity is a bit of a fallacy, particularly if it’s going to be limited to one operator. Players will be bored with one site and they currently like the ability to play on multiple sites. My pitch has been to look at what’s going on at the federal level.” On Capitol Hill, Frank’s HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, allows multiple internet gambling sites to solicit U.S. customers.
In Delaware and Pennsylvania, legislation has been passed in 2010 introducing and expanding table games, including poker. As you might expect, the PPA has been wholly enthusiastic about both developments, commenting, “The PPA welcomes this as a first step in advancing opportunities for poker players to play games of skill such as Texas Hold’em in a licensed and regulated atmosphere.” Table games will likely debut in the middle of 2010 and according to the Allentown Morning Call newspaper, the Sands Corporation has set a target rollout date of July 1st.
In Alaska, a unique battle is brewing as to whether charity poker tournaments are permitted under state law. PPA Alaska State Director Rich Markgraf has reportedly sent a letter to government officials seeking clarification of the legality of charity events. The PPA dubbed the Alaskan stance against charity tournaments a “misguided notion.”
In early February, Pappas testified in front of the California Senate Governmental Organization Committee arguing for increased competition in any proposal legalizing intrastate online poker. Pappas explained to Poker News Daily, “We believe in a competitive marketplace, one that favors everyone who wants to get into the marketplace.” However, increased momentum at the state level for legalized internet gambling could pay dividends on a national level. 2010 is an election year, leading many in the industry to question whether legalizing internet gambling will even be addressed.
In its monthly update, the PPA was quick to point out that online poker players helped raise more than $1.5 million for victims of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th. Major online poker sites matched player donations dollar-for-dollar, resulting in a $1.5 million haul for charity. PPA Chairman Alfonse D’Amato applauded the efforts of many in the community in the organization’s mailer: “Like the rest of the world, the poker community is eager to do anything it can to aid Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake. I applaud PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Cake Poker for providing poker players across the globe an easy way to make a contribution.”
Visit the official website of the PPA to keep up-to-date on its latest endeavors.
Related Poker News:
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- Poker Players Alliance heading to Washington
- Former senator joins Poker Players Alliance
- Poker Players Alliance Strengthening at State Level
- Senator Alfonse D’Amato Takes Leadership Position With the Poker Players Alliance
- Chips aren’t down yet for poker player - roanoke.com
- PPA Relocates to D.C.; Bolcerek Steps Aside as President
- PPA Stepping Up on Registration Efforts
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- Poker players hope for hot hand in lobbying week
- Poker players push for internet gambling
Poker jargon:
- BLUFF - To make a bet or raise with a poor hand, in hope that the remaining active player(s) will fold.
- LOWBALL - Generic term for poker where the lowest hand wins.
- MAIN POT - The main pot, as related to one or more side pots, when there are one or more all-in player(s). The main pot is the one in which all active players participate.
- POSSIBLE [STRAIGHT/FLUSH] - Up cards that quite possibly could lead to a straight and/or a flush.
- NICKEL - Five dollars, usually represented by a red casino check.
- TOURNAMENT - A highly structured game involving potentially dozens of tables where all participants pay an entry fee and obtain a fixed number of chips. Once a tournament has started, additional players may not enter. As the game progresses players bust out and are eliminated until only one winner remains.
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