It’s not just civic associations that are warning against the introduction of a federal ban on online gambling in a denial of states’ rights (see previous reports). The Poker Players Alliance action group has begun mustering its over a million US members in a campaign as well.
In the past, helping players to contact their political representatives at state and federal level has proved very effective, and the PPA is rolling out the tactic again, offering players a prepared note for emailing to their representatives which says:
“Please Oppose a Federal Shutdown of States’ Poker Websites
“As a voter and constituent, I am writing to ask you to oppose legislation that would usurp the states by shutting down their licensed and regulated poker websites. H.R. 707, S. 1668, and S. 3376 would attack internet freedom, consumer protection, and the Tenth Amendment. I ask that you instead respect the traditional rights of states regarding issues like poker.
“The American Conservative Union, Americans for Tax Reform, the DGA, Campaign for Liberty, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, NCSL, and many other groups have written to Congressional leadership expressing their strong opposition to a federal ban on state-authorized Internet poker. I hope you join the growing bipartisan opposition to this ill-conceived prohibition.
“Three states -NJ, DE, and NV- have regulated poker websites operating. They safeguard their citizens with stringent consumer protections while mandating proven systems to verify the identity, age and location of players. In fact, poker opponents cannot point to a single case of a player outside a participating state gaining access to these sites, or a single instance of underage play.
“These states use sophisticated technology to thwart fraud and money laundering, while collecting much needed revenue that would otherwise go offshore. Furthermore, technologies exist and are used successfully in the U.S. and Europe to identify those with compulsive play patterns and refer them to treatment. And, as players prefer the safety of licensed sites, these sites are pushing out unlicensed offshore operators. Unlike prohibition, market forces and regulatory oversight drive compliance.
“I, along with my over one million fellow Poker Players Alliance members, look forward to your actions on this issue. Thank you for your consideration.”
The campaign can be accessed here: https://theppa.org/take-action/?vvsrc=%2fCampaigns%2f48747%2fRespond