PPA - Take the Battle To The States

BluffTHIS! · #1 09-30-2006, 07:09 AM

It seems clear to me as I said in this thread about the states allowing their own residents (only) to play poker online *if* that state legalizes same *within* it borders, that they can do so. So now I believe the first step in any long route to overturning the just passed bill nationally, is to focus on getting individual states to allow intra-state poker online. Of course this isn't going to be an easy sell, even in states with casinos maybe if those casinos feel that detracts from visits to their establishments where they would rather we played crap like blackjack and craps.

But, nonetheless, the fact that poker is such an authentic and historic american game, along with states having an insatiable demand for tax revenue, might make same feasible. And this perhaps could be coupled with efforts to legalize not only such intra-state poker online, but also cardrooms. There is already an organization that has a webpage dedicated to such legalization of cardrooms in Texas. The more states that would legalize either B&M rooms or online ones, then the more likely others would be to follow.

So PPA prez, I suggest you give this serious consideration and target some states for such an effort. We all will have to be prepared to back you financially in such efforts, with the full realization our own states might be low on the totem pole. But besides ND where a state senator is already trying to do this, surely some other legislators in other states would be willing to consider it.

We want poker legal in private homes, B&M cardrooms and online from sea to shining sea. And it has to start on the state level.

BluffTHIS! · #2 09-30-2006, 08:07 AM

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

satya · #3 09-30-2006, 09:07 AM

They say all politics is local. If several states had regulated/legalized online gambling I suspect Kyle et.al. would have had a much tougher time getting something like this passed - assuming they would even had tried.

Please, everyone, you are not powerless in this. We could have stopped this a LONG time ago by ousting the Fascists who pushed it.

Register to vote. Then do it. This year and every year.

Get info on local races. It is critical to be informed. Know the issues. Know the candidates. Vote. This year and every year.

Please, PLEASE, especially if you are in the under 30 crowd, VOTE!!!! You people could quite possibly altered the outcome in '00 and perhaps '04 if more had voted. Less than half the registered 18-24 registered voted in '04. Not much more, only 55%, in the 25-34 range.

This legislation passed the house because the majority of people who vote are the those who think it's a good idea, have no opinion, and/or were uninformed. THEY elected Kyle, Goodlatte, Frist etc.

We could very well have prevented this from happening by simply knowing the candidates, knowing the issues, and voting.

Let's not be here a few years from now bitching about something else we let them do.

WillMagic · #4 09-30-2006, 09:39 AM

[ QUOTE ]
They say all politics is local. If several states had regulated/legalized online gambling I suspect Kyle et.al. would have had a much tougher time getting something like this passed - assuming they would even had tried.

Please, everyone, you are not powerless in this. We could have stopped this a LONG time ago by ousting the Fascists who pushed it.

Register to vote. Then do it. This year and every year.

Get info on local races. It is critical to be informed. Know the issues. Know the candidates. Vote. This year and every year.

Please, PLEASE, especially if you are in the under 30 crowd, VOTE!!!! You people could quite possibly altered the outcome in '00 and perhaps '04 if more had voted. Less than half the registered 18-24 registered voted in '04. Not much more, only 55%, in the 25-34 range.

This legislation passed the house because the majority of people who vote are the those who think it's a good idea, have no opinion, and/or were uninformed. THEY elected Kyle, Goodlatte, Frist etc.

We could very well have prevented this from happening by simply knowing the candidates, knowing the issues, and voting.

Let's not be here a few years from now bitching about something else we let them do.

[/ QUOTE ]

This all gets a giant LOL. The bill passed 405-2. When it was debated alone in the house, still, 2/3ds of democrats supported an online gambling ban.

The lesser of two evils is still evil.

Phil153 · #5 09-30-2006, 10:54 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I think you're dreaming. Many politicians see online gambling as a social curse (which it is), and those that don't will rarely vote against prohibition, let alone vote FOR a bill that legalizes it AND contradicts federal law.

This is like that thread you made months ago asking Party to fulfill a list of requests - I was spot on there too. Seriously, save your energy. This is completely out of your hands.

BluffTHIS! · #6 09-30-2006, 10:56 AM

Phil,

The law actually allows the states to legalize online gambling within their own borders for their own citizens. See thread below on this. And if they can pass lotteries and casino boats they can pass this and B&M cardrooms. But it won't be easy I grant you. You aren't american so you don't give a [censored] but we do.

Wynton · #7 09-30-2006, 11:03 AM

I agree that there should be a grass-roots effort at the state level. Despite the margin of victory in Congress, I remain hopeful that on a more local level it could be possible to persuade an occasional state that legalization and regulation is in their interest.

In my view, one reason we're stuck with this legislation is that there was virtually no grass-roots opposition; the organizations that sprung up really were's lobbying groups. Perhaps more of a grass-roots response is possible if directed at the states.

raise4value · #8 09-30-2006, 11:05 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Phil,

The law actually allows the states to legalize online gambling within their own borders for their own citizens. See thread below on this. And if they can pass lotteries and casino boats they can pass this and B&M cardrooms. But it won't be easy I grant you. You aren't american so you don't give a [censored] but we do.

[/ QUOTE ]

actually your last sentense is really wrong. I am from germany and a member of a huge poker community and we all are worried about the development in the US, because if playing poker online will be banned or whatever: That is what will happen: The good solid winning players will find a way to keep on playing, average Joe( most of the online players) who were our donators will look for another way to waste their money. Games could really dry up.

BluffTHIS! · #9 09-30-2006, 11:05 AM

Wynton,

The whole thing to me that we need to stress is citizens playing with citizens in skill based gambling, and not -EV casino house games. For that matter that would include a room that allowed players to bet on any board game they wanted to play as well.

Wynton · #10 09-30-2006, 11:15 AM

I agree, again, about trying to distinguish poker from other gambling. And I think State efforts should be comprehensive, addressing poker in all forms.

For example, the strategy could include pushing legislatures to make it clear that poker charity events are legal. Once that is accomplished, we would be one step closer to legalizing and regulating non-charity poker events. The next step might be to make for-profit poker permissible specifically in restaurants or bars. With each of these steps, poker would slowly gain acceptance, both online and in the brick and mortar sense.

An incremental approach may be more appealing to legislators in the end.