PPA hints on turning the Congressional recess to advantage

Former Senator and Poker Players' Alliance chairman Alfonse D'Amato knows his way around the Washington political calendar, and this week came up with some interesting ideas to turn the autumn recess of the US Congress into an opportunity for online gamblers to let their representatives know how they feel about online gambling regulation.

In a letter to the almost 700 000 members of the Alliance this week. D'Amato said:

"Dear Fellow PPA Member:

"Thanks to your efforts, we have made tremendous progress in our fight to protect the rights of poker players. More than 40 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have committed to clarifying federal laws to preserve your ability to play poker online. But we still need your help to get the attention of every U.S. Representative.

"Congress is in recess for August and your Representative will be returning home to host local events and town hall meetings. These are great opportunities to tell them that poker is not a crime and to support H.R. 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act and H.R. 2610, the Skill Game Protection Act.

"Here's how to find out when these events are happening:

"Get the phone number of your U.S. Representative's hometown office by clicking here [a PPA information page} and entering your ZIP Code. Call to ask when and where these events are taking place in the month of August.

"Go to one of these events and bring your fellow poker players. Tell your U.S. Representative that poker is not a crime and to co-sponsor H.R. 2046 and H.R. 2610 when they return to Washington. Let them know that you will support them if they support the rights of law-abiding poker players.

"Thank you for being an "August Advocate" for the Poker Players Alliance."

The chairman justifiably signs himself "Proud to Play Poker." Senator Al D'Amato

The negative side of letters.....

But the good Senator was not the only one sending out letters this week - the state of Utah was taking a more negative route, corresponding with online poker players in the state to remind them that they could be in violation of state laws.

State enforcement officials obtained names and addresses of Utah online players from databases recovered from companies involved in a major $150 million bust earlier this year which led to seven citizens and four companies being charged with felonies by a grand jury in Salt Lake City.

Companies facing charges are CurrenC Ltd., also known as CurrenC WorldWide Ltd., based in the British Virgin Islands; Gateway Technologies LLC, based in Draper, Utah; Hill Financial Services Inc., based in Draper, Utah, and Las Vegas.

The state of Utah is one of the few in the United States that frowns upon any forms of gambling, and this extends even to state lotteries.