Kyl Determined to See UIGEA Implemented at all Costs
Written by Roger S | Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
It seems that Senator Jon Kyl will stop at nothing to ensure that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act gets implemented next week. Not even a face to face request from his former colleague Alfonse D’Amato was enough to sway his opinion that the game of poker should also be incorporated into the bill when it comes into effect on June 1st.
D’Amato is a former Senator and now acts as chairman of the powerful Poker Players Alliance. He believed that it was worth the effort asking to meet Kyl on the eve of the UIGEA’s implementation for a number of reasons. Firstly, the fact that he also once served in politics led him to believe that Kyl would take his request seriously. Secondly, the PPA, while a grassroots organization, has the support over one million poker players from around the country and therefore carries some clout. And finally, since the support of online poker is obviously growing, D’Amato believed that Kyl would consider this by removing the game from the UIGEA legislation.
However, Kyl’s seems more determined than ever to see his baby grow and flatly turned down the PPA’s request.
“It does not seem that Senator Kyl is willing to accept even an exemption for peer to peer in it,” said the Executive Director of the PPA, John Pappas. “He wants to see the law finalized.”
The PPA, in the meantime, is forging away in its efforts to get legislation passed that will spell an end to the UIGEA and hopefully the beginning of a legalized, regulated poker and gambling environment in the United Sates.
“Honestly, I think the silver lining here is, come June 1 when the law is finalized, those who would say the UIGEA is going to stop Internet gaming will be proven wrong,” Pappas said. “I think that adds more credence to our argument that alternatives have failed and now is the time to do what is right to license and regulate the industry.”
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· Written by Roger S · Filed Under Poker Gossip · Comments Off
