Annie Duke testifies in front of House

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the leading poker grassroots advocacy group with more than one million members nationwide, thanked Chairman Frank for holding a hearing in the House Financial Services Committee on H.R. 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, paving the way to a markup and successful vote on H.R. 2267 before the August recess.

H.R. 2267 establishes the needed licensing and regulatory framework for the United States to exercise appropriate control and oversight over Internet poker and other forms of Internet gaming. Testifying in support of the legislation were professional poker player Annie Duke, Ed Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer, Discovery Federal Credit Union and The Honorable Lynn Malerba, Tribal Chairwoman, Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut. This legislation is further supported by a diverse network of organizations including the American business community and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"This Committee and this Congress should not tolerate laws that seek to prevent responsible adults from playing a game we find stimulating, challenging and entertaining. H.R. 2267 provides this freedom in a safe and regulated environment and I urge everyone on this Committee to support this common sense policy. However you might feel about gambling on the Internet, I would suggest that gambling with freedom is far more risky," said Duke.

"The testimony we heard today underscores the challenges faced by the Federal government due to the unclear definition of what now constitutes unlawful Internet gambling and the glaring lack of protections for consumers," said PPA Executive Director John Pappas. "Frankly, our opponents can't offer a consistent argument on this issue. Former U.S. Attorney Michael Fagan wants to go as far as banning Internet gambling outright, and Tom Malkasian of Commerce Casino supports licensing and regulation - just not a competitive marketplace. It seems that our opponents don't even agree with each other here," continued Pappas.

"As interest in and awareness of licensing and regulating online poker grows among members of Congress and the Administration – and with it the consumer protection and tax revenue benefits that accompany licensing and regulation – the PPA is ready and eager to work with policymakers to continue moving this legislation through the process," concluded Pappas.