Poker Player Alliance Mobilises For Action

Following the closure of  PokerStars, Full Tilt and Absolute Poker’s US operations, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) has become increasingly active in mobilising opposition to the Department Of Justice’s crusade against online poker.
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Established in 2005, the Poker Players Alliance is a million member lobby group representing poker players in the US. After the April 15th indictments the organization was quick to voice their opposition to the government crack-down with PPA Chairman and former New York Senator Alfonse D’Amato stating:
“On behalf of the millions of poker players across the country, we are shocked at the action taken by the U.S. Department of Justice today against online poker companies and will continue to fight for Americans’ right to participate in the game they enjoy.”
The PPA was then soon inundated with numerous requests from members of the online poker community wanting to know how they could lend their support to the group. The PPA then subsequently launched an all-out media assault on the US government by launching a Take Action page enabling protesters to post comments directly to Congress and the Department of Justice sites.
Already 70,000 letters and emails have been sent to government officials, with thousands of phone calls also having been made condemning the actions taken by the DOJ. In most cases, the overall sentiment expressed by the protesters reflected the view of poster Mandy Trilck who wrote on the DOJ’s Facebook page:
“What right does the U.S. Government have to bring down the most well-run poker websites that are legal internationally and enjoyed by millions around the world? …Legalize it, tax it. It’s that simple. Don’t make these people criminals.”
The PPA’s other online lobbying activities also includes the use of MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and online poker forums to consolidate popular support. In addition, high-ranking PPA members have also been appearing on various media venues, such as Bloomberg television and Fox Business reinforcing the message of PPA Chairman Alfonse D’Amato, who said:
“Online poker is not a crime and should not be treated as such.”