The Poker Players Alliance is a nonprofit organization pushing for the legalization of real money poker in the United States. So why would this recognized poker voice disagree with this year’s lame-duck Congressional lawmakers legalizing online poker, but making other forms of online gambling illegal? After all, wasn’t it just 2012 when the PPA applauded Nevada Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and then-Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona in their efforts to ban online gambling while legalizing cyber poker? Yes, it was, but new data means the situation has changed drastically.
Poker Just 20% of NJ Overall iGaming Revenue
Nevada offers legalized online poker play to its residents. But the state does not deliver any type of casino gambling or slots to its virtual visitors. Accordingly, the Silver State has not seen near the financial benefit that has been experienced in the state of New Jersey. Garden State residents can shuffle up and deal online, as well as enjoy a few hands of blackjack, play the slots or bet real money on a wide variety of casino table games. In New Jersey, only about 20% of the overall online gaming revenue is generated from Internet poker. This shows the need for internet gambling to be viewed as a single entity, casino gaming and poker as part of the same industry, or poker could lose major financial backing and player support. The state of California may weigh in on this matter also as they are working on efforts to launch online poker for their state.
PPA – Successful US Online Poker Dependent Upon “Other Forms of Gaming”
Comparing New Jersey Internet gambling numbers to Nevada shows that online poker players need to begin supporting all forms of online gambling as viable and legal in the United States. Nevada has claimed a fraction of the revenue NJ has generated from online gambling. John Pappas is Executive Director of the PPA, and he recently stated that his organization now understands that Internet poker needs Internet casino and slot gambling to succeed. “We as a poker community need to recognize that the success of poker often is built on other forms of gaming,” Pappas said. That means that if the upcoming lame-duck Congress session is presented with any type of Internet poker-legal, casino gambling-illegal legislation, the PPA is prepared to fight tooth and nail to make sure the proposed legislation does not get passed as a new US online poker law.
Lame Duck Congress to Offer a “Poker Good”, “Casino Gaming Bad” Posture?
After the November elections this year, there are no doubt going to be members of Congress that lose to incoming lawmakers. This means several Congressmen and women will be serving out the remaining days of their terms in limbo, before the new Congressional session convenes. This lame-duck situation is often when those exiting Congressmen attempt to pass legislation as they are headed out the door. Just as Reid and Kyl proposed in 2012, a law could be proposed which allows Internet poker while outlawing virtual casino gaming. But it depends on November election results.
PPA Prepared No Matter How November Elections Wind Up
What are the chances of that happening? We have to wait until the November elections are over. Currently, the Republicans have a good grip on the House of Representatives. And the Democrats are in control of the Senate, for the time being. If the Republicans can steal control of the Senate away from the Democrats and keep the House, there is very little likelihood of any lame-duck proposal passing. That is because Republicans could simply wait until the new Congressional session convenes and pass whatever regulated poker measures they liked with little resistance. Either way, Pappas and the PPA will be watching the November elections closely, prepared to block any attempts at a poker-only piece of Internet gambling legislation.