Video Poker

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Introduction

Players Fight Proposed Online Poker Ban

Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer and Greg Raymer flew to Washington last year and lobbied Congress to reject three bills that would prohibit Americans from playing online poker.

At a press conference, the three pros criticized pending bills that would force banks to monitor customers' transactions in an attempt to block them from using gambling sites overseas. The players questioned why the bills' sponsors want to make poker, which is legal in U.S. casinos, illegal online.

In addition, a bill sponsored by Representative Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican, would "censor" the Internet by allowing courts to order Internet service providers (ISPs) to shut down access to offshore gambling sites, said Michael Bolcerek, head of the Poker Players' Alliance. Bolcerek likened Goodlatte's proposal to the Chinese government's attempts to block Internet content it doesn't like.

Raymer, who won the 2004 WSOP after qualifying online, said Goodlatte's bill would require ISPs and banks to intrude on Americans' privacy. "I don't want my ISP to be monitoring where I go on the Internet," he said.

"Monitoring what American citizens do in their own homes, with their own money and in their own time just isn't the government's responsibility," added Radley Balko of the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. "The government is not our baby sitter."

The players urged Congress to legalize online poker, saying that would allow the government to regulate and tax the game, gaining revenue in the process.

The bills are "blatantly hypocritical," Balko said, because they allow some forms of online gambling, such as horseracing bets and state lottery sales, while banning poker.

Instead of banning online gaming, the alliance says Congress should allow it to be a profitable domestic business that can create jobs.

It is already illegal for online casinos to operate domestically, so the multibillion-dollar business has moved overseas. Credit-card companies have also been told not to allow customers to use their accounts for offshore gambling, so players have switched to online payment services that are also based overseas and pay with checks, debit cards and electronic funds transfers.

Sponsors of the legislation argue that games people can easily play at home on their computers are addictive and could be financially ruinous.

Ferguson found it odd that some of the bills would allow online lotteries and sports betting, but not poker. "Lotteries are obvious gaming. It is really gambling, whereas poker is a game of skill. It is very odd to have that kind of 'carve out' and not carve out the great game of poker."

Lederer added: "I'd hate for 70 million poker players to wake up one day and learn that their game has been made illegal."

Video Poker
Video Poker \| Playing Poker on a Budget \| Cheaters of the Poker Table \|

Introduction Players Fight Proposed Online Poker Ban Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer and Greg Raymer flew to Washington last year and lobbied Congress to reject three bills that would prohibit Americans from playing online poker. At a press conference, the three pros criticized pending bills that would force banks to monitor customers' transactions in an attempt to block them from using gambling sites overseas. The players questioned why the bills' sponsors want to make poker, which is legal in U.S. casinos, illegal online. In addition, a bill sponsored by Representative Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican, would "censor" the Internet by allowing courts to order Internet service providers (ISPs) to shut down access to offshore gambling sites, said Michael Bolcerek, head of the Poker Players' Alliance. Bolcerek likened Goodlatte's proposal to the Chinese government's attempts to block Internet content it doesn't like. Raymer, who won the 2004 WSOP after qualifying online, said Goodlatte's bill would require ISPs and banks to intrude on Americans' privacy. "I don't want my ISP to be monitoring where I go on the Internet," he said. "Monitoring what American citizens do in their own homes, with their own money and in their own time just isn't the government's responsibility," added Radley Balko of the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. "The government is not our baby sitter." The players urged Congress to legalize online poker, saying that would allow the government to regulate and tax the game, gaining revenue in the process. The bills are "blatantly hypocritical," Balko said, because they allow some forms of online gambling, such as horseracing bets and state lottery sales, while banning poker. Instead of banning online gaming, the alliance says Congress should allow it to be a profitable domestic business that can create jobs. It is already illegal for online casinos to operate domestically, so the multibillion-dollar business has moved overseas. Credit-card companies have also been told not to allow customers to use their accounts for offshore gambling, so players have switched to online payment services that are also based overseas and pay with checks, debit cards and electronic funds transfers. Sponsors of the legislation argue that games people can easily play at home on their computers are addictive and could be financially ruinous. Ferguson found it odd that some of the bills would allow online lotteries and sports betting, but not poker. "Lotteries are obvious gaming. It is really gambling, whereas poker is a game of skill. It is very odd to have that kind of 'carve out' and not carve out the great game of poker." Lederer added: "I'd hate for 70 million poker players to wake up one day and learn that their game has been made illegal."