Poker Player Alliance (PPA) Changing Strategy
With Congressman Barney Frank (D- MA) largely leading the charge against UIEGA in Washington, the PPA have focused their attention mostly on the state level. This has been a gradual shift in strategy, but a necessary one to ensure that all levels of government are participating in the discussion. In Florida, the PPA Executive Director John Pappas was called to testify in front of the Florida Senate Regulated Industries Committee, due to more support for legalised intrastate online poker. The unfortunate thing is the fact that the PPA is hesitant to put their weight behind any and they explain their reasoning as such:
“Florida is contemplating a single-source provider of online poker, i.e. one poker website. PPA is concerned that the lack of competition and consumer choice could also negatively impact the player experience.”
Pappas stated to Poker News Daily “…Players will be bored with one site and they currently like the ability to play on multiple sites. My pitch has been to look at what’s going on at the federal level.”
Not to mention, with one regulatory agency controlling one online poker option, can you imagine the cries of “cheating!” by the players? If only one “legal” online option is adopted in Florida or anywhere else for that matter, making all other options “illegal,” giving players no choice, they will quickly flood back to Full Tilt or Pokerstars (the only online poker sites still accepting US poker players), legal or not. In contrast, Congressman Frank’s HR 2267 bill (internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act) will allow for multiple online gambling sites to solicit US customers.
Hopefully the powers that be will recognise the value of legalisation and repeal UIGEA before the June 1st deadline!
