Despite some harsh stipulations that include a 15-month blackout of online poker in the United States the Poker Players Alliance is asking its members to support the proposed legislation that would legalize and regulate the online gambling industry –placing control firmly in the hands of established brick & mortar casinos in the United States.
In an E-Mail sent to PPA members, John Pappas stated:
The blackout period means that upon enactment of the proposed internet poker law there would be fifteen months where NO licensed Internet poker would be available to U.S. players… Frankly, the proposed blackout period is absurd and the PPA opposes it. And we have fought – and continue to fight – tooth and nail against it. But it is a reality. There will likely be a blackout period of some length included in any legislation that is passed, whether it is in this Congress or future Congresses… That being said, upon significant analysis, review and reflection, we believe that the long- term benefits of this bill to the poker community make the blackout period a bitter pill we have to swallow. Our goal is to establish a permanent, safe and regulated U.S. online poker market, similar to the European regulatory markets. While many think the status quo works and is fine, it is not a long term solution and cannot last.
Lee Jones, the Cardroom Manager for the Cake Poker Network echoed these sentiments, and was a bit more apocalyptic in his appraisal of the situation, in a post on the 2+2 Poker Forum where he stated:
The status quo will not survive. The anti-Reid crowd is succumbing to the fallacy that the absence of this bill is a return to business as usual. As one online pro recently told me, “Ever since the UIGEA, I’ve felt a hand tightening around my throat year by year.” He’s right; that hand will continue to tighten until it dries up the lifeblood of the industry: money movement. The DoJ is bolder than ever and Washington State has set an ugly precedent. It will come down to payment processors who have no more scruples than your average Mexican drug or African arms dealer. In fact, those upstanding citizens may decide that online payment processing is a great way to launder money. I believe that if this bill doesn’t pass, we will see the end of online poker in the U.S. as we know it within 2-3 years.
All-in-all, since the measure has been introduced we have learned that the online poker rooms and industry insiders are very concerned about the current online poker situation in the United States; to the point they are willing to leave the market for 15-months, and allow other companies to gain a foothold in the US online poker market.
Related posts:
- A look at Harry Reid’s online poker legislation
- Harry Reid’s attempt to legalize online poker fails
- Iowa Pushes Online Poker Bill One Step Further
- Online poker legislation hopes alive after Barney Frank cruises to election victory
- Washington is all set to legalize the Online Poker within it boundaries
