Poker Players Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) is an American
nonprofit Interest group
formed "to speak with one voice to promote poker
, and to protect the players' rights." The PPA formed to serve as an advocacy group to Washington
to establish rights and protections for U.S. poker players. Within the first year of its existence, the PPA garnered over 600,000 members. In April 2008, the PPA claimed to have signed up its one millionth member. Membership growth has been due in part to promotional activities by online poker
cardrooms like Party Poker.
This organization unsuccessfully lobbied against the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006
, which prohibited financial institution
s from making payments to internet gambling
sites. Many online poker sites suspended U.S. operations. Other sites have continued to serve U.S. customers, citing legal opinions that UIGEA does not apply to poker.
, Howard Lederer
, and Chris Ferguson
, flew to Washington, D.C.
to lobby Congress for poker rights.
The PPA supports several bills currently in Congress that amend UIGEA. The Skill Game Protection Act (HR 2610), proposed by Rep. Robert Wexler
(D-FL), provides an exemption to UIGEA for games of skill, including poker, mah jong, bridge, and other games. As of December 15, 2007, HR 2610 has 20 cosponsors. The Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007 (H.R. 2046), proposed by Rep. Barney Frank
(D-MA), provides for federal licensing and regulation of online gaming sites. As of December 15, this bill has 45 cosponsors.. The Internet Gambling Study Act (H.R. 2140), proposed by Rep. Shelley Berkley
(D-NV), provides for a study by the National Academy of Sciences to identify the proper response of the United States to the growth of Internet gambling. As of December 15, this bill has 68 cosponsors.
The PPA hired former New York Sen. Alfonse D'Amato as its chairman. In an interview with Cardplayer Magazine, he said "What really needs to happen is to have a legitimate house, a fair game, and a fair operator, and not take away from 20-plus-million citizens who play poker the opportunity to play poker on the Internet." D'Amato went on to point out that under the current legislation, that the companies "with good business practices" could potentially be replaced by "those who do not care" because the U.S. is driving "the industry offshore, where we have no regulation and no controls."
Michael Bolcerek, the former president of the PPA, says that the PPA has been able to mount a counteroffensive to the anti-gaming bills on Capitol Hill. He says the opponents of online-gambling
Bolcerek has appeared on over 60 local stations, CNN, CNBC, and Fox to get get his message out.
In April 2007, Rep Barney Frank
(D-Mass) introduced a bill (the aforementioned HR 2046) that wouldn't simply repeal the 2006 bill, but would open up a U.S. based market for online gambling. The Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007 "would establish a regulatory and enforcement framework to license companies to accept bets and wagers online from individuals in the U.S." The act would address underage and compulsive gambling, while providing safeguards for Americans. Legalizing these transactions would enable the government to tax and monitor fund transfers. This would allow transactions to be checked "against a number of anti-fraud, money laundering
and terrorism
databases".
In August 2007, the organization announced Michael Bolcerek had stepped down as President. John Pappas filled the role vacated by Bolcerek.
Shortly after the 2009 WSOP began, the Southern District of New York Action Against Online Poker Players
seized $34 million from over 27,000 accounts of poker players affiliated with Full Tilt Poker
, Absolute Poker, Ultimate Bet and PokerStars
. Jeff Ifrah, the attorney for one of the disbursement companies affected, said that the government “has never seized an account that belongs to players who are engaged in what [Ifrah] would contend is a lawful act of playing peer-to-peer poker online.” The timing of the seizure may have been intentionally timed to affect the access to people's accounts during the World Series of Poker.
In July 2009, the PPA held National Poker Week, an effort to rally support for H.R. 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act
. More than 350,000 people signed the petition supporting the licensing and regulation of online poker and more than 150,000 letters were sent to Members of Congress during National Poker Week. Additionally the PPA and its membership held more than 100 meetings with Members of Congress.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nonprofit Interest group
Advocacy group
Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...
formed "to speak with one voice to promote poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
, and to protect the players' rights." The PPA formed to serve as an advocacy group to Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to establish rights and protections for U.S. poker players. Within the first year of its existence, the PPA garnered over 600,000 members. In April 2008, the PPA claimed to have signed up its one millionth member. Membership growth has been due in part to promotional activities by online poker
Online poker
Online poker is the game of poker played over the Internet. It has been partly responsible for a dramatic increase in the number of poker players worldwide...
cardrooms like Party Poker.
This organization unsuccessfully lobbied against the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 is United States legislation regulating online gambling. It was added as Title VIII to the SAFE Port Act which otherwise regulated port security...
, which prohibited financial institution
Financial institution
In financial economics, a financial institution is an institution that provides financial services for its clients or members. Probably the most important financial service provided by financial institutions is acting as financial intermediaries...
s from making payments to internet gambling
Online gambling
Online gambling, also known as Internet gambling and iGambling, is a general term for gambling using the Internet.-Online poker:Online poker tables commonly offer Texas hold 'em, Omaha, Seven-card stud, razz, HORSE and other game types in both tournament and ring game structures...
sites. Many online poker sites suspended U.S. operations. Other sites have continued to serve U.S. customers, citing legal opinions that UIGEA does not apply to poker.
Advocacy
The PPA aims to get laws such as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 overturned either through political or judicial means. For example, the PPA in conjunction with online poker sites, dedicated June 15, 2006 as "Write Your Congressmen Day." Another example is the "PPA Fly-In", where around 100 members and many professional poker players, including Annie DukeAnnie Duke
Annie Duke is a professional poker player and author who won a bracelet in the 2004 World Series of Poker $2,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Event and was the winner of the 2004 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions, where she earned the Winner-Take-All prize of $2,000,000...
, Howard Lederer
Howard Lederer
Howard Henry Lederer is an American professional poker player and brother of poker professional Annie Duke, and author and poet Katy Lederer. On September 20, 2011, the U.S...
, and Chris Ferguson
Chris Ferguson
Christopher Philip Ferguson is an American professional poker player. He has won five World Series of Poker events, including the 2000 WSOP Main Event, and the 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. On September 20, 2011, the U.S...
, flew to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to lobby Congress for poker rights.
The PPA supports several bills currently in Congress that amend UIGEA. The Skill Game Protection Act (HR 2610), proposed by Rep. Robert Wexler
Robert Wexler
Robert Wexler is the president of the Washington-based S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace.Wexler was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing , from 1997 until his resignation on January 3, 2010.-Early life:Wexler was born in Queens, New York to Sonny and...
(D-FL), provides an exemption to UIGEA for games of skill, including poker, mah jong, bridge, and other games. As of December 15, 2007, HR 2610 has 20 cosponsors. The Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007 (H.R. 2046), proposed by Rep. Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
(D-MA), provides for federal licensing and regulation of online gaming sites. As of December 15, this bill has 45 cosponsors.. The Internet Gambling Study Act (H.R. 2140), proposed by Rep. Shelley Berkley
Shelley Berkley
Rochelle "Shelley" Berkley is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999, and a candidate for U.S. Senate. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education, and legal career:...
(D-NV), provides for a study by the National Academy of Sciences to identify the proper response of the United States to the growth of Internet gambling. As of December 15, this bill has 68 cosponsors.
The PPA hired former New York Sen. Alfonse D'Amato as its chairman. In an interview with Cardplayer Magazine, he said "What really needs to happen is to have a legitimate house, a fair game, and a fair operator, and not take away from 20-plus-million citizens who play poker the opportunity to play poker on the Internet." D'Amato went on to point out that under the current legislation, that the companies "with good business practices" could potentially be replaced by "those who do not care" because the U.S. is driving "the industry offshore, where we have no regulation and no controls."
Michael Bolcerek, the former president of the PPA, says that the PPA has been able to mount a counteroffensive to the anti-gaming bills on Capitol Hill. He says the opponents of online-gambling
"Opponents of online gambling fail to realize that sweeping it under the rug will only serve to exacerbate any issues with problem gambling. Turning the wildly popular Internet poker from a common pastime to an illegal activity, banned by CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, will ultimately ensure that problem gamblers do not confront their issues with gambling and drive them further underground. Regulation and taxation, however, would provide billions in revenue for federal and state governments. These funds could be used to treat problem gamblers and to educate adults and youths alike on the dangers of gambling addictions."
Bolcerek has appeared on over 60 local stations, CNN, CNBC, and Fox to get get his message out.
In April 2007, Rep Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
(D-Mass) introduced a bill (the aforementioned HR 2046) that wouldn't simply repeal the 2006 bill, but would open up a U.S. based market for online gambling. The Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007 "would establish a regulatory and enforcement framework to license companies to accept bets and wagers online from individuals in the U.S." The act would address underage and compulsive gambling, while providing safeguards for Americans. Legalizing these transactions would enable the government to tax and monitor fund transfers. This would allow transactions to be checked "against a number of anti-fraud, money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
and terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
databases".
In August 2007, the organization announced Michael Bolcerek had stepped down as President. John Pappas filled the role vacated by Bolcerek.
Shortly after the 2009 WSOP began, the Southern District of New York Action Against Online Poker Players
Southern District of New York Action Against Online Poker Players
The Southern District of New York Action Against Online Poker Players was a legal action taken by the Department of Justice in an effort to crack down on online poker. The action occurred around June 8, 2009, when the government ordered four banks to freeze over 34 million dollars in payments...
seized $34 million from over 27,000 accounts of poker players affiliated with Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker is an online poker card room that opened in June 2004 with the involvement of poker professionals Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Andy Bloch, Mike Matusow, Jennifer Harman and Chris Ferguson...
, Absolute Poker, Ultimate Bet and PokerStars
PokerStars
PokerStars is the largest online poker cardroom in the world. PokerStars' satellite tournaments produced the 2003 World Series of Poker champion, Chris Moneymaker. 1983 champion Tom McEvoy, 2005 champion Joe Hachem, 2009 champion Joe Cada and 2010 champion Jonathan Duhamel and others also represent...
. Jeff Ifrah, the attorney for one of the disbursement companies affected, said that the government “has never seized an account that belongs to players who are engaged in what [Ifrah] would contend is a lawful act of playing peer-to-peer poker online.” The timing of the seizure may have been intentionally timed to affect the access to people's accounts during the World Series of Poker.
In July 2009, the PPA held National Poker Week, an effort to rally support for H.R. 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act
Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act
The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act was a proposed 2009 bill in the United State House of Representatives that is intended "to provide for the licensing of Internet gambling activities by the Secretary of the Treasury, to provide for consumer protections on...
. More than 350,000 people signed the petition supporting the licensing and regulation of online poker and more than 150,000 letters were sent to Members of Congress during National Poker Week. Additionally the PPA and its membership held more than 100 meetings with Members of Congress.