With the storm winds of the United States’ financial mess swirling through Washington, D.C. the last few weeks, it would seem that poker would be the last thing on elected officials’ minds, but online poker did receive a public word of support Monday from a member of Congress, the same day the House passed the debt ceiling deal.
Congressman Michael Grimm (R – NY) issued a press release touting the work of FairPlayUSA, a grassroots organization that aims to “educate policymakers and the public on the broad public policy interests raised by the current ambiguous laws in the U.S. that have led to millions of Americans gambling on the Internet,” as well as encourage the federal government to establish a regulatory framework for legal online poker.
“I applaud the efforts of FairPlayUSA for launching its coalition to combat illegal gambling,” Rep. Grimm wrote in a statement. “As a former FBI agent, I fully support the efforts to create a strong regulatory framework for legal online poker and to crack down on illegal sites, many of whom have ties to organized crime. With many adult online poker players in my District of Staten Island and Brooklyn, I support their right to continue playing; however, I agree that it must be in a law-abiding forum that provides protections for America’s consumers and children. Together we must fight for the return of quality, good paying jobs to the United States and a strong regulatory framework for legal online poker will contribute to that goal.”
Of course, poker players will take issue with Rep. Grimm’s notion that online poker sites have ties to organized crime, but the overall sentiment is very positive for online poker’s cause, as he wants online poker legalized and regulated so that Americans can be free to play when they want, where they want.
Unlike many people and groups who want to legalize online poker, FairPlayUSA does not want to necessarily see the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) repealed. Instead, the organization wishes to have it strengthened so that “illegal” internet gambling is strictly defined, leaving no ambiguity. And while FairPlayUSA believes that legislation needs to be passed at the federal level in order to ensure proper regulations and consumer protections are put in place, it also feels that each state and Native American tribe should be able to decide for itself whether or not it wants to allow online poker within its borders.
The FairPlayUSA Board of Advisors includes a very familiar face to the poker community: 2004 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Greg Raymer. Raymer has been one of the most visible and outspoken crusaders for the effort to legalize and regulate online poker, often supporting the Poker Players alliance in its efforts and appearing on television to argue for regulation. Also on the Board are Tom Ridge, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Governor of Pennsylvania, and Parry Aftab, a lawyer and expert on family and consumer cyber safety and a member of the National Telecommunications Information Agency’s Online Safety Technology Working Group.
It’s a shame the U.S. lawmaker are either lazy or contributing to criminal influence on the internet by not legalizing the game, and they are suffering from loss of revenue and other influence it might support, example; play, lose or win, feel refreshed to go back to work, i.e. satisfaction.
what these lawmakers get from “…putting pain in strangers…”?