It was only a matter of time before the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) became involved in the Republican National Convention (RNC), which kicks off on September 1st at the Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At the RNC, the PPA will be reaching out to members of Congress who have historically not been friendly to legalized internet gambling in the United States. The Republican Party led the charge to pass the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006 and, at a recent hearing, forced the law’s ambiguity to continue. This time around, the PPA has partnered with the American Gaming Association (AGA) to benefit the Paralyzed Veterans of America.
That particular charity is the same one that the PPA is raising money for at a fundraiser during the Democratic National Convention in Denver next Thursday. The fundraiser at the RNC is a charity poker tournament that will be held on Wednesday, September 3rd at 116 First Avenue North in Minneapolis. A VIP reception will be held from 10:00pm until 10:30pm, when the poker tournament begins. The following levels of sponsorship packages are available and are the only ways to secure entry into the PPA and AGA’s tournament:
Royal Flush Sponsor ($10,000): Eight tournament entries plus four spectator seats during the tournament
Full House Sponsor ($5,000): Four tournament entries plus two spectator seats during the tournament
Individual Player Seat ($1,000): One tournament entry
Individual Spectator Seat ($250): One spectator seat during the tournament
All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), which works with veterans experiencing spinal cord injury and diseases (SCI/D). According to its website, the organization
works to maximize the quality of life for its members and all people with SCI/D as a leading advocate for health care, SCI/D research and education, veterans’ benefits and rights, accessibility and the removal of architectural barriers, sports programs, and disability rights.
The PPA’s Chairman, Alfonse D’Amato, is a former three-term Republican Senator from the state of New York. His relationship with the PPA has brought a personality that is favorable to online poker into the Republican ranks. Moreover, two Republican Congressmen have introduced their own pro-internet gambling legislation. Ron Paul (R-TX) teamed up with Barney Frank (D-MA) to introduce HR 5767, which would have prohibited the regulations of the UIGEA from being enforced. That bill was struck down in Committee in June. Paul is a former Republican Presidential candidate.
Recently, Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX) introduced HR 6663, which interprets the UIGEA to mean that only online sports books are in violation of federal law. In the process, online poker and online casinos should be allowed back into the United States, provided their sites do not offer opportunities to bet on sports. The bill has attracted four co-sponsors since its introduction On July 30th. All four co-sponsors are Democrats.
The United States Congress is on recess for the remainder of the month. The governing body of the United States will reconvene on Tuesday, September 2nd, the day after Labor Day, a federal holiday in the U.S.
Interested sponsors for the PPA and AGA’s fundraiser in Minneapolis should contact NicholeK@pva.org. RSVPs are necessary for the event.
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