The Alliance of Poker Players Offers a Response to the Online Gambling Ban
28 Aug 2006
In response to the recent legislation passed by the United States House of Representatives that bans online gambling, the Poker Players Alliance has come out with a statement expressing their great disappointment. While the ban focuses on all aspects of internet gambling, the Poker Players Alliance is concerned mainly with the ban against online poker. The alliance objects to the fact that a game like poker that requires skill, is included in the gambling prohibition, while online lotteries and internet horse betting are allowed to continue.
Michael Bolcerek, the president of the Poker Players Alliance, suggests that the United States do what the United Kingdom has done with online gambling. He says that regulating and taxing online gambling, and in particular online poker, is an excellent way to control the industry. In addition, the potential federal and state tax revenues from online gambling are enormous. Indeed, up to $3 billion in federal tax and $1 billion in state tax can be raised from regulating and taxing online gambling.
The Poker Players Alliance, which is a non-profit organization, is particularly concerned about protecting the name and reputation of the game of poker. They represent poker players in the United States and aim to promote their interests. Together with other forms of online gambling, poker has increasingly come under attack in congress. Prominent names in online gambling, including "Poker Professor" Howard Lederer, have joined the alliance in an effort to protect what they call a great American tradition from the online gambling ban.
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