In a form letter issued by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) to President Barack Obama for members to fill out, it was revealed that legalizing and regulating online poker finished 11th overall in the Citizen’s Briefing Book. In terms of the number of comments logged, the issue landed in second place. The PPA, which was instrumental in driving online poker players to the Citizen’s Briefing Book, is the main lobbying force for the industry on Capitol Hill.
The Citizen’s Briefing Book appeared on Change.gov, the official website of the President-elect, to solicit the most pressing needs of the electorate. The top suggestions were then hand-delivered to the President. The PPA’s letter to President Obama, which interested poker players can send electronically, states, “Of the thousands of proposals submitted, a proposal supporting internet poker rights was consistently in the top 15 during the voting, ending up at #11 – and #2 for number of user comments.” The comments posted on the issue ran the gamut of opinions, ranging from the desire to regulate online poker to a call for upholding the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
In total, 70,000 people participated in the Citizen’s Briefing Book, with legalizing marijuana leading the way throughout much of the voting. A half-million votes were cast and “tens of thousands of ideas” were submitted. The economy, which has been at the forefront of the minds of many Americans, received over 6,000 submissions alone. Other ideas concerned health care, foreign affairs, and energy use. A Citizen’s Briefing Book summary video created by Michael Strautmanis, Director of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Transition, had been viewed over 23,000 times.
The PPA’s letter adds that regulation can help protect against underage gambling and ensure that problem gamblers are kept off the virtual felts. It adds, “Regulation also allows American gaming companies to participate in the world’s internet gaming market, bringing needed jobs and revenue to America.” The UIGEA was passed in the waning moments of the 2006 Congressional session. It was ushered through by former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and attached to an unrelated security measure called the SAFE Port Act. The UIGEA was passed by a 3:1 margin in the U.S. House of Representatives. The SAFE Port Act was approved by unanimous consent in the Senate and not debated.
The regulations of the UIGEA were pushed through in similar fashion as a midnight rule by the Bush Administration. The regulations, which were approved in November, went into effect on January 19th, 2009, one day before the Obama Presidency began. Full compliance by banks and other financial institutions is required by December 1st. One of the industry’s avenues to overturn the UIGEA regulations is Congressman Jerrold Nadler’s (D-NY) Midnight Rule Act. Numbered HR 34, the Midnight Rule Act would allow for possible review of all regulations enacted since October 22nd, 2008.
A form letter that can be found on the PPA’s website requires only a person’s name, e-mail address, mailing address, and phone number in order to be delivered in cyberspace. The organization, which boasts a membership base of one million, sent over 70,000 letters during the 2008 calendar year. The organization has also found itself in a series of legal battles at the state level, including recent court victories in Colorado and Pennsylvania showing that poker is a game of skill. The PPA submitted an amicus brief in Kentucky, where a case pitting the state’s Justice and Public Safety Cabinet against 141 internet gambling domain names may soon head to the Kentucky Supreme Court.
The PPA is based in Washington, D.C. after moving from San Francisco in August of 2007. Then-PPA President Michael Bolcerek remained in California, turning the reigns over to John Pappas. Shortly thereafter, the organization brought on former three-term Senator from New York Alfonse D’Amato. The Republican brought keen political insight to the PPA as well as visibility and credibility. The PPA’s membership swelled to one million in April of 2008.