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Dear Senator Nelson,



I have never felt reason to write my senator in the past, however I think this current issue recently put into legislation that will ban online gambling is a subject I feel strongly enough about to take the time.



I have to be honest when I state that I'm not 100% clear on all the facts, as finding unbiased information regarding the subject has been somewhat difficult but it's my understanding that a Port Security Act was passed recently which had an Internet Gambling Prohibition Act piggy-backed into it.



From what I can tell the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act will outlaw online gaming and many of the major gambling websites, which are publicly traded companies, will no longer offer service to US citizens.



I've no doubt that there are strong arguments for the regulation of online gambling, and if provided with a sound and well thought out plan I'm sure I would support said regulations (as would many other gamblers). However the complete banning of online gaming seems an extreme solution to the problems that arise with gambling.



That said, my main issue with online gaming and this ban is specifically related to the game of Poker.



Poker has experienced an enormous boom in popularity in recent years. This popularity no doubt has had the most impact on the passing of the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.



However I don't think the government has taken a close enough look at gambling, games of pure chance, and skill based games, to determine the best course of action for this legislation.



Pure chance games, such as roulette or craps, have nothing to do with the player’s ability to affect the outcome of the game. These games are also played against a casino, not players versus players. For those reasons alone, I can see no appreciable reason to have online versions of those games. Games such as these just feed players need to risk and win money, and have no tactical component that would allow a player to influence the outcome of the game.



However in a game like Poker, of which there are many versions, the casino is providing the service of a dealer for a small fee. Players are paired up against other players and use logic, intelligence, and reasoning to influence the outcome of the game and play better than their opponents. This is not too unlike a game such as chess, or probably a more appropriate comparison of back gammon or gin rummy.



In poker there certainly is an element of chance, however a smart player with skills in mathematics and psychology will win more often than a poor player. The same could be said about a game such as Scrabble.



If the legislation was passed in order to prevent deviant gambling problems I think I have shown that it needs to be reviewed and skill games such as Poker should be exempt from the list of games included in the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.



If the legislation the other hand was for reasons such as trying to prevent U.S. dollars going to offshore companies which could possibly be using the funds for things such as drug production or terrorism, then I think the solution is not a ban but some regulations.



Perhaps making sites that want to operate within the U.S. have to meet some level of accountability or allowing service providers to have U.S. based companies and host the gaming sites within the U.S. would be a good start.



At any rate please attempt to review this bill and present to congress the facts before they create a blanket law that prevents law abiding citizens the opportunity for having safe entertainment from within the comfort of their own homes, and also prevents many other Americans whom use their skill and intelligence to make a living at these games.



Thank you,

xxxx - Concerned Citizen

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Dear Mr. xxxx:

Thank you for contacting me regarding online gambling.

While many Internet gambling operations already are banned by Federal law, many are located overseas and currently are beyond the reach of U.S. authorities.

On September 30, Congress passed the SAFE Port Act (H.R. 4954) that included a last-minute provision to help tighten regulation of Internet gambling. I chose to support this far-reaching bill, largely because it will help keep our country safe by increasing vital security measures at our nation's seaports.

Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future.

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