Andy Bloch Calls for Gambling Freedom at Internet Seminar
Written by Renee K | Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
At the Netroots Nation 2010 seminar this week, poker professional Andy Bloch called on the government to legalize online poker and said that federal intervention on internet gambling went against America’s freedom of choice.
The Netroots seminar, sponsored by the Poker Players Alliance, brought together members of the public who are concerned with the government’s influence on the internet and are committed to open public policy debate.
Speaking at the seminar, Bloch said that millions of Americans enjoy the game of poker “no matter their political stripes” and are able to watch countless games and tournaments on television.
He stressed that Americans need to make sure that politicians and anti gambling activists realize how ridiculous their attempts are to prohibit online poker.
“They are forgoing billions in tax revenue when our budgets are most in need, rejecting the opportunity to properly regulate online poker, and ignoring their responsibility to protect children and other vulnerable members of our society,” he said.
Bloch criticized the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, where federal laws penalize online gambling. He called the audience’s attention to the fact that gambling is legal in some shape of form in 48 states and therefore found no basis for any objection to gambling on the internet.
The player, who is a graduate of Harvard Law School, also said that a federal ban on internet gambling attacks freedom of choice and the internet.
He concluded his call for the legalization of online poker by recalling a conversation he had with an amateur poker player, who had a disability and could therefore not travel to poker tournaments in states where they were legal. Online poker could provide this player with the perfect solution to his problems, said Bloch.
“Interactions like these are why protecting internet freedom is important, even when it is a freedom you might not take advantage of yourself or even understand,” he concluded.
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· Written by Renee K · Filed Under Poker News · Comments Off
