Arizona online gamblers angered by Republican Senator Jon Kyl’s role in forcing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act through the U.S. Congress recently are gearing up to vote for his opponents in the close-run race for the Senate seat.
Poker playing voters are being told: “A vote for Kyl means you might never play poker online again.”
Arizona gamblers are getting support in the form of encouragement and information from many of the online gambling companies that serve them. Sports betting, poker and online casino websites, especially in the sports handicapping sector which has been damaged by the recent passage of Kyl’s bill, have been working hard to mobilise Arizona voters.
One of the largest sports handicapping related websites in the world pumped out just over 125 000 emails exclusively to Arizona player residents this week with information about the election, political and campaign financial contribution records, voting information on Kyl and his challengers – particularly nearest opponent Jim Pederson who is only 5 points behind the veteran senator – and other facts. Another company has said it is working with 10 000 Arizona gambling voters with the same goal in mind.
Meanwhile, Internet players are themselves urging support for the Pederson campaign, and wide references are being made to
http://www.actblue.com/page/pokerplayers#8827 where information is available and contributions to the Pederson war chest can be made.
The site, sponsored by a group called “Poker Players Against Jon Kyl” landing page says: “Jon Kyl sponsored the bill that the president just signed into law. Opponent Jim Pederson has a very credible chance of beating Jon Kyl. We as poker players need to send Jon Kyl a message that we are strong and we need to be represented as much as his own special interests. Please give any amount that you can. We can make a difference and show Senator Kyl that we won’t stand for his hypocrisy. We as poker players sat by while Jon Kyl used national security as a political tool to push this legislation through. It won’t happen again.”
On the wider scene, the names of politicians closely associated with attempts to deny American players the right of choice in online gambling and their election districts and campaign contribution records have been widely posted on message boards, with suggestions that online players show their disgust with the UIGEA at the polls on November 7.
Names like Leach, Goodlatte and Kyl are prominent on most lists.
In Arizona, Kyl, once considered invincible during the mid-term senate elections race and a possible candidate for Senate Majority Leader, has watched a substancial lead fade to just 5 percentage points.
The Arizona media has apparently noticed the Poker Players Against Jon Kyl campaign and publicity on the issue is forthcoming in at least one major state newspaper.