When in Las Vegas, please call/visit Senator Harry Reid's local office

[TruePoker CEO]

HR 4411 is supposed to hit the House floor on Wednesday.

If this language makes it into law, any online player in the US, which is about 80% of some very large sites' markets, will be blocked from using any financial services to get or send money. If you think that this would not include sending money via Neteller, then you are fooling yourself.

The illegality stigma will kill US player participation in online poker games, regardless of whether some such players will seek to continue to play.

Poker is VERY different than sportsbetting or online casinos in that a site needs a mass of players to offer games.

As for the "new house bill", its passage alone will not mean anything, unless a similar bill is introduced and passed by the Senate.

We will see Wednesday whether HR4411 passes the House. If it does, I am urging ANYONE who is going to the WSOP to call or stop by Senator Harry Reid's local office to explain that you and 8,000+ other online poker players are visiting in Las Vegas BECAUSE of Online Poker.

Make it a point to ask the WSOP information booth/Harrahs for the Reid number and address.

(Senator Reid is the Minority Leader, and is very knowledgable about the gaming industry and regulation. Express that the AGA bill to "study" the issue is preferred to gutting online poker, which has brought together 8,000+ players for an $80,000,000 tournament in Las Vegas in the middle of the Summer. An active Minority Leader can do a lot to bottle up newly introduced legislation for the rest of this Senate term.)

Truepoker CEO

[LearnedfromTV]

BUMP b/c I think this is a good idea.

[kidpokeher]

Las Vegas
Lloyd D. George Building
333 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 8016
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: 702-388-5020 / Fax: 702-388-5030

http://reid.senate.gov/contact/offices.cfm

[TruePoker CEO]

Okay, it is posted above by kidpokeher

[Ignignokt]

I'm pretty sure Reid already at least supports the study bill, if he isn't a sponsor.

But to have you support him would still be good.

[CaryDarling]

Reid is in the pocket of the casinos and online gambling is taking money away from them...if you have ever seen the movie Casino the corrupt politician played by Dick Smothers was based on Harry Reid.

[johnnybeef]

[ QUOTE ]
Reid is in the pocket of the casinos and online gambling is taking money away from them...if you have ever seen the movie Casino the corrupt politician played by Dick Smothers was based on Harry Reid.

[/ QUOTE ]

Until you back this up with substantial evidence, this is nothing more than heresay....

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Reid is in the pocket of the casinos and online gambling is taking money away from them...if you have ever seen the movie Casino the corrupt politician played by Dick Smothers was based on Harry Reid.

[/ QUOTE ]

Until you back this up with substantial evidence, this is nothing more than heresay....

[/ QUOTE ]

Is this a serious comment? Reid was a Nevada Gaming Commissioner for four years (1977-1981). It's well known the Casino character was based on him.

Of course, if your were responding to the "in the pocket" hyperbole, you should have just ignored it. However, Reid has always had strong support and funding from the gaming industry. He won't ignore their wishes.

[TruePoker CEO]

Fortunately, the AGA "study" bill is the manifestation of their wishes, at least publicly.

I doubt the industry wants to kill a goose that can lay some pretty big eggs in their basket.

Remember, MGM-Mirage was pretty hot for online gmaing, but had to back off under pressure..... to the regret of Terri Lanni and about a $5 million write-off. I suspect Harrahs sees some value in online poker now, and greater value if IT can have an exclusive online presence for the WSOP satellites.

[Melchiades]

Is online poker really taking money away from casionos though? I would probably have never set foot in a Casino more than once if it wasn't for online poker. I would guess there are more like me.