Poker Players Alliance holds Vegas Rally

Poker Players Alliance holds Vegas Rally

Invigorated by the recent federal legislation that would prohibit playing online poker in the United States, the Poker Players Alliance is hosting a rally/cocktail party in Las Vegas Friday, July 28, for poker players interested in defending the game of poker on the Internet.Event sponsor, Poker Players Alliance, organization president Michael Bolcerek, and members Chris Ferguson, Linda Johnson, Howard Lederer and Greg Raymer, invite all interested poker players to enjoy a hosted bar and hors d’oeuvres from 5 - 8 p.m. at Buzio’s Seafood Restaurant in the Rio Hotel and Casino. Reservations are not required.

The grassroots organization also announced that membership has more than doubled since the House of Representatives passed a bill designed to curb online gaming.

�This large jump in membership shows that American poker players are coming to the defense of a game they love.�With the rising threat to the online game, poker players are starting to become politically savvy,� said PPA President Michael Bolcerek.

Earlier this month, the U. S. House of Representative approved legislation that would block payments from both banks and credit card companies to online gambling sites. The bill, known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act has the potential to deny access to gaming sites altogether and force Web site operators to become watchdogs for the federal government. While outlawing Internet poker, the bill exempts other forms of online gambling such as horse racing and Internet lotteries.

The bill is slated to head to Congress later this year, and Bolcerek believes that the more people that sign up as members of the PPA, politicians will get the message and stop their efforts.

�These membership numbers send a message to Congress that poker has a strong following in this country.�As the organization continues to grow in members and influence, we fully intend to make these tens of thousands of new voices heard in the halls of Congress,” said Bolcerek. �Poker is one of America’s favorite past-times and we intend to keep it that way. It is time to rally together to defend the game and ensure poker players can enjoy this game as they always have.�

Ferguson, Johnson, Lederer and Raymer encouraged people to join and show their support at the rally:

Chris Ferguson — �I am proud to serve on the Poker Players Alliance board of directors and help lead the fight to defend poker. I encourage anyone who loves the game to join the PPA today.�

Linda Johnson — �If you care about your rights as a poker player, please join us on July 28.”

Howard Lederer — “Poker players need a united voice to promote and protect the game. The Poker Players Alliance gives us that voice. Join me and become part of this growing and influential organization.”

Greg Raymer — �The Poker Players Alliance is an important organization fighting to protect poker from government interference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. and state capitals across the country. If you care about your right to play poker, you should become a member of the PPA.�