Fight For Our Rights!!

A law passed in 2006 prohibiting U.S. financial institutions from processing payments of any form for Internet gambling that is illegal under U.S. federal or state law. The legislation was inserted into an unrelated bill, which had widespread approval.

We all need to fight this ban and the attack on our personal freedom. Nobody should be allowed to tell us what we do with our own hard earned money in our own homes. They have taken away our rights and we will not stand for it! Please join us all in fighting this ridiculous ban!

Recently Congressman Barney Frank, the head of the House Financial Services Committee, has filed a measure to remove the federal ban on Internet gambling. While an outright appeal of the ban may be difficult, such a move may pave the way for clarifications to the law that could allow for limited online gaming.

"The fundamental issue here is a matter of individual freedom," Frank told a news conference, adding his committee would hold a hearing on the matter in June.

The bill includes provisions for licensing and regulating online gambling companies to protect against underage gambling, compulsive gambling, money laundering and fraud.

More information on Barney Frank can be found here:
Online Gambling Ban Repeal Bill

Please sign this petition and help us fight back!!

 APCW (The Association of Players, Casinos and Webmasters) is also doing everything they can to fight this bill. J todd makes weekly videos with updated information and news regarding this fight for our freedom. Click here to see his videos!

Join The Poker Players Alliance!

WHO IS THE POKER PLAYERS ALLIANCE?
The Poker Players Alliance is a nonprofit membership organization comprised of poker players and enthusiasts from around the United States who have joined together to speak with one voice to promote the game, ensure its integrity, and, most importantly, to protect poker players' rights.

WHY SHOULD I JOIN THE POKER PLAYERS ALLIANCE?
The government is threatening to take away our right to play poker online, at home, in bars or taverns, and even at charity events across the country. The federal government and several states are seeking to enact laws that will negatively impact our ability to enjoy poker as we do today.

The Poker Players Alliance is committed to defending our rights as poker players. On your behalf, we will promote and protect poker through advocacy work in Washington, D.C., and throughout the nation. The Poker Players Alliance will represent our rights as poker players and provide thoughtful legislation to protect the game.

But we can't do this alone. The Poker Players Alliance needs you to join with us to strengthen our voice. Together we can educate our lawmakers, fight prohibitory legislation, and DEMAND the protections necessary to guarantee our freedom to enjoy poker at the tables and online.

Our goal is to organize poker players to impact public policy and convince legislators to protect the American tradition embodied in the game of poker. The Poker Players Alliance is not only interested in raising money to support advocacy, we're also committed to empowering our members to communicate their views to elected officials.

NEWS ARTICLES

The U.S. Treasury Department is dragging its feet in writing regulations to accompany a law designed to stop the use of credit cards to pay for Internet gambling. Republican Senator from Kansas, Sam Brownback, went to see Treasure Secretary Henry Paulson on Thursday May 10th to ask why there seems to be a delay.

“Are they going to be committed to enforcing this law," Brownback asked, "and putting the personnel in place that it needs."

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act passed last year, but the Treasury Department has yet to draft the rules for enforcement. Internet gambling is a $12 billion a year industry, and Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council said the pressure to water down the restrictions via the Treasury Department is strong.

"The gambling forces seem to have some friends in those departments that might have been helping write some of those regulations," he said. “It’s almost setting up a fourth branch of government – a bureaucracy branch – that decides what laws they want to enforce and what laws they want to basically rewrite.”

Back in mid April, a desperate Arizona Senator Jon Kyl tried to force a commitment from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on the enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act (UIGEA) in hearings about the "Firing of US Attorneys” scandal. UIGEA makes it illegal for financial institutions to knowingly allow transactions to internet gambling companies.

Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee Barney Frank of Massachusetts has called UIGEA the "stupidest law ever passed" and has introduce legislation to combat UIGEA. Southern Nevada Congresswoman, Shelley Berkley has introduced legislation to study the effects of internet gambling as well.



-- Thomas Jensen (Point-spreads.com)

You can also help by contacting your state Representatives and  Senators, follow the links below or call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and give them your zip code.

http://www.house.gov/

http://www.senate.gov/

Please visit these other sites joining the fight:

 UIGEA NEWS