Gaming Guru

PPA Phone March Successful, but Frist Continues to Push Legislation in the Senate

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) "Phone March" on Washington earlier this week yielded more than 3,000 phone calls to the offices of United States Senators, but Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) apparently didn't get the message.

The PPA asked members and concerned citizens to call their Senator's offices to voice their opinion on the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (H.R. 4411), which passed in the House of Representatives in July. The legislation would block payments from banks and credit card companies to online gambling sites.

"The March sent a clear message to the Senate that Americans are passionate about their ability to play the popular game of skill on the Internet," PPA President Michael Bolcerek said in a statement. "Congress can no longer disregard citizen support for online poker and their freedom to use the Internet."

While most Senators do not seem eager to push the legislation forward, various media reports indicate that Frist is seeking to attach the bill to an unrelated Defense Department authorization bill.

An Associated Press story indicates that Frist's motivations may be political. The two-term Senator is not running for re-election and may be eyeing a bid at the 2008 Republican nomination for President. According to the story, he recently discussed the issue in a public forum in Iowa and has called it a "legislative priority" on the Senate floor.

"We hope that the Senate will take a more enlightened approach to online poker," said Bolcerek. "Rather than prohibiting the game, Congress must work towards regulation to ensure the security of online sites while upholding the rights of their constituents to play the game they love."

The Poker Players Alliance is working hard to make sure that Americans can continue to play poker on the Internet. For information on the PPA, including how you can help, visit the organization's Web site at www.pokerplayersalliance.org.