US Justice Department to hold online poker hearing

Claimed by the Poker Players' Association as a by-product of the organisation's recent Washington Fly-In initiative (see previous InfoPowa reports) the U.S. Department of Justice is to hold a hearing on Internet gaming at 10 00am on November 14, says PPA executive director John Pappas.

Speaking to the online poker portal PocketFives.com, Pappas said this was a huge step for online poker's future, and commented: "We talked with Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) along with some of our poker pros during the fly in. He pledged to hold a hearing and we're pleased that it's happening."

Expected at the hearing is an expert on World Trade Organisation policy; a representative from the Department of the Treasury; a representative from the Department of Justice, and one Congressman on each side of the issue. Poker pro Annie Duke will also be in attendance as a witness.

Pappas expects hard-hitting questions: "Our goal is to have members of Congress ask tough questions of the Department of Justice representative about their inconsistent enforcement of internet gaming," he told PocketFives. "We also want them to point to the statute that they used to claim that playing internet poker is illegal.

"The WTO Expert is there to incite both free trade Republicans and Democrats to action in order to preserve our trading status and fulfill our WTO obligations. In addition, we want to demonstrate there is appropriate and viable age verification software out there.

"Finally, for Annie Duke, our goal is to distinguish poker as something different than other forms of gaming, show that it's a skill game, and address the civil liberties issue."

Chairman Conyers has been a supporter of internet gambling regulation, Pappas comments, saying: "Chairman Conyers believes UIGEA is a terrible bill and that regulation is a good approach. I wouldn't be surprised if, somewhere down the road, he introduces his own legislation."

Despite the short notice, the PPA is hoping for a good turnout of legislators at the hearing, and has been prepping members of Congress to ask the questions that will help clarify poker's future. "A hearing is just one step in the process," says Pappas. "A vote may still be quite some time away, but this is an important initial step to take."

The hearing is open to the general public on Wednesday, November 14th, at 10:00am at 2141 Rayburn House Office Building.