Re: Dinner With A Congressman
You want to know how to get Congress to authorize online poker?
1. Convicne MGM / Harrahs / Station / Isle of Capri / various Indian casinos, etc. to lobby the politicians they are already tight with, and convince them to operate their own sites under regulation. Right now, those that don't own the offshore sites don't have a horse in this race, and the more shortsighted of them have possibly been against online poker, thinking it costs them revenue. Convince them to take a stake, and you'll have a more powerful lobbying group than PPA can ever be. And convince the NFL officials to stay out of the battle.
2. Don't compare online poker to any other activity whose offline version is still illegal (e.g. drugs, underage drinking, prostitution, sports betting, etc.) If you're painting with a brush with any existing stains on it, your canvas will reflect that.
3. Accept that poker is a form of gambling, but also a game of skill. You cannot argue with a straight face to a congressman that, just because a great deal of skill is involved, poker is not gambling. And you cannot teach a congressman what is the +EV play. Besides, you don't want to convince a congressman that, because poker contains a large skill element, a minority of overall poker players can make a lot of money. Why? Becuase you've just convinced him, at the same time, that poker is truly gambling for the majority of poker players. And if there's anything a politician likes to trumpet, it's their record of saving people from themselves.
4. Demonstrate that the sites can be rock solid protected from underage players being able to access it. If you can prove the technology will truly only allow over 21 to play, then you defuse the issue about minors getting into trouble.
I'm sure there's more, but I'm multi-tasking here...
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