Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Congressional Hearing Set as Support Grows for Regulated Internet Poker

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Tomorrow the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing to examine the United States policies as they relate to Internet gaming. Annie Duke, one of the top poker players in the world will testify before the Committee on behalf of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA).

The hearing comes on the heels of a successful PPA Washington Fly-In where nearly 100 online poker enthusiasts converged on Capitol Hill for two days of advocacy and meetings with more than 50 members of Congress.

According to a recent poll conducted by RT Strategies National Omnibus Poll, Americans, by a two to one margin (51 percent - 21 percent) oppose government prohibitions to Internet poker. Moreover, by a two to one margin (56 percent - 23 percent) Americans strongly support federal regulation of Internet poker as a means to control underage gambling and help problem gamblers. Full data can be found at:
http://pokerplayersalliance.org/pdf/PPA_Poll_102107.pdf

"Chairman Conyers hearing is an important step toward educating Congress about the folly of an Internet gaming prohibition," said PPA Chairman, former Senator Alfonse D'Amato.

"It won't work, and it is tremendously bad public policy. Only through proper regulation can we provide the proper safeguards for consumers and generate billions in additional, and much needed, tax revenue for this country," D'Amato said.

Hearing Information
Wednesday, November 14th at 10:00 AM
Hearing on Establishing Consistent Enforcement Policies in the Context of Online Wagers
House Judiciary Committee, 2141 Rayburn House Office Building
Media Opportunities
Annie Duke and former Senator Alfonse D'Amato, PPA Chairman, or John A. Pappas, PPA Executive Director are available for print and broadcast interviews.
The Poker Players Alliance http://www.pokerplayersalliance.org is a non-profit organization advocating on behalf of American poker players.
That Congress would even consider shutting down internet poker is a Constitutional travesty... Politicians who would support such a measure ought to be run out of office and replaced with people who realize that government doesn't belong in our everyday lives...