Further indicators are emerging that this week’s “Phone March on Washington” protest against the banning of online gambling has had some impact.
The grass roots initiative, organised by the Poker Players’ Alliance urged players to use an 800 number which routed them through to their political representatives. The message: Do not ban online poker in the United States; regulate the great American pastime.
Cal Spears, president of Pocket Fives.com, one of the major portals supporting the protest said: “The threat to online poker is real. We hope our Senators heard our message loud and clear today: Do not ban online poker in the United States. Calling elected officials’ offices shows courage and passion,” he said. A spokesperson for Senator Mel Martinez’s (R-FL) office agreed: If you call, “we will take you seriously.”
Spears’s company says the Phone March on Washington was “resoundingly noticed by Congressional offices.” A representative from Senator Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) office claimed that the staff had been receiving calls “once every few minutes.” The same was true at Senator Edward Kennedy’s (D-MA) headquarters: “We have received a steady stream of calls all day today.” At Senator Charles Schumer’s (D-NY) office, a spokesperson said they had received “a significant number of calls on the issue.” A staffer at Senator Bill Frist’s (R-TN) offices claimed, “The Senator has not come out with a public statement on the issue. We have been working on developing a written response to today’s calls, but do not have anything right now.” Frist is one of the main proponents of the ban and the Majority Leader in the US Senate.
Senator Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) position on the issue echoed that of the callers today: “The Senator is not in favor of a ban. She favors regulation in order to prevent children from gambling,” said a representative.