Hold'em championship

Poker Players Alliance Speaks Out Against Passing Of Online Gambling Prohibition Act

The legislation that aims to prohibit online wagering has already been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate late Friday, Sept. 29. The bill is on its way to the president to be signed for it to become law.

"This last minute deal reeks of political gamesmanship. The American people should be outraged that Congress has hi-jacked a vital security bill with a poker prohibition that nearly three fourths of the country opposes," said Michael Bolcerek, president of the Poker Players Alliance. The grassroots organization has been lobbying against the anti-gambling prohibition.

"Allowing this bill to become law would run contrary to public opinion and would damage an already fractured relationship between government and the electorate. The millions of Americans who enjoy playing this great game will have the last voice in this debate come Election Day."

Bolcerek referred to a research in their website that illustrates how 74 percent of Americans oppose the attempts to ban internet poker. "Congress has an opportunity to regulate and tax online poker leading to potentially billions of dollars in annual revenue for the federal government and the states," he said.

"If the goal of Congress is to protect people from the possible dangers of gambling, a prohibition is the worst way of achieving it. All it will do is push poker underground, essentially creating online speakeasies, which will provide no protection for youths, no services for the problem gambler and leave only the most unscrupulous operators in the game."