Should Congress Ban Internet Gamblíng? Cast Your Vote!

[chane]

Please take a moment to cast your vote and share your thoughts with the Wall Street Journal editors.

Get your voice heard - vote today. Please pass this message onto your contacts.

[Dierks]

Doesn't Congress have bigger and better things they should be concerned with than us playing poker on the internet? What a joke!!

[stripokerpro]

I stole this from another poker forum and it comes from a reliable source

Recent actions in the nation\'s capital are clear signs that federal lawmakers are determined to ban online poker. On February 16, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and his supporters held a press conference to announce the introduction of H.R. 4777. If passed, this bill would make outlaws of online poker players!

Goodlatte and other members of Congress use this bill in a misguided attempt to lump poker in with other forms of gamblíng. Although they claim to have an exclusion for games with a predominance of skill, poker has been singled out. As Goodlatte says, technology has allowed for new types of electronic gamblíng, including interactive games on the Internet such as poker and blackjack, which may not clearly be included within the types of gamblíng currently made illegal by the Wire Act. So he is really targeting poker players who enjoy the game online.

The legislation is troubling for many reasons, but the following issues are key:

First and foremost, it tramples the rights of poker players who enjoy playing online and represents a slippery slope that could lead to the federal government denying people the right to play poker in offline venues.

Second, the Goodlatte bill hypocritically makes exceptions for some gaming activities, including state lotteries and placing online bets for horse races, even while prohibiting games of skill like poker.

Finally, by forcing ISPs to eliminate access to gaming content on the Internet, the federal government is moving away from long-established protections of free speech in this country. Ironically, many in Congress recently chastised China for forcing ISPs to regulate content that Chinese citizens could receive, yet those same lawmakers now find it acceptable for the U.S. government to censor the Internet.

Rep. Goodlatte\'s bill has already gathered 115 co-sponsors representing districts in 36 different states. H.R. 4777. Please click the link below to express your concern and Let your member of Congress know that we are a strong and unified voice to keep poker legal.The Poker Players Alliance is committed to defeating this kind of egregious government intrusion into our personal lives. And with your help, we can succeed!

I have already voiced my concern.

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

[tonyj444]

Ok, 1st off, i dont mean this 2 be casting judgment on America, as my political knowledge is absolutely shocking. But seriously, the idea of poker being ILLEGAL just seems truly laughable. In all honesty, i struggle 2 see what harm it possibly ever does 2 any1!! :shock: I honestly think (at least hope) that if something like that was ever pushed over here (UK), that it would just be ridiculed. Out of interest, in Lehhman's (sp?) terms, what is the justification for illegalising poker?

[Dierks]

I for one have contacted my representative. I think we all need to band together and do our part to keep the game we love from becoming illegal! Thank you for your support! 8)