Calls on New Administration, Congress to Overturn Flawed Policy
Washington, DC (November 12, 2008) –The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the leading poker grassroots advocacy group with more than one million members nation-wide, today expressed its extreme disappointment with the last minute finalization of the Unlawful Internet GamblingEnforcement Act (UIGEA) regulations regarding online gambling.
“Today’s action finalizes a truly bad public policy – one that even the banks and Federal regulators called unworkable in Congressional testimony,” said PPA Chairman and Former Senator Alfonse D’Amato. “However, the PPA remains optimistic that the new Administration and the new Congress will recognize the failures of UIGEA and will act swiftly in the New Year to overturn this flawed policy.”
In April of this year, representatives from leading banks testified before Congress about the “burdensome” and “unworkable nature” of the proposed UIGEA regulations. Even the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve expressed serious concerns about the ability to enforce UIGEA and its impact on our nation’s payment systems. Notwithstanding the skepticism about the efficacy of the UIGEA and the burden it would place on our already strapped financial sector, the Administration, the Treasury and the Federal Reserve dedicated time and resources to get the rules finalized as the first of many Bush Administration “midnight” regulations.
Fortunately, several members of Congress, such as House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, Senator Robert Menendez and Congressman Robert Wexler among others, recognize the untenable nature of UIGEA and have sponsored legislation to truly address the concerns over online gaming.
“We have strong advocates in Congress who recognize the importance of balancing individual freedom and responsibility with the protection of consumers as it relates to online poker,” continued D’Amato. “As such, we believe that in the new political environment UIGEA will be overturned and effective licensing and regulation of online poker will be enacted.”