by Hillary LaClair, Senior Editor
December 8, 2008
The Poker Players Alliance remains cautiously optimistic for the future of online poker. Executive Director John Pappas, active in high-level policy and political consulting for poker in the last ten years, has expressed to KSL-TV this week that he feels internet gambling is inevitable in the U.S.
“You know that phrase, ‘stike when the iron is hot?’” he asked the station. “Well, people who want to legalize online poker say the iron is definitely warming up. Whether it’s next year or five years from now, I think it’s going to happen very soon.”
Pappas revealed that officials in Washington, D.C., and throughout the state of California, have proposed legislation that will pave the way for the legalization of internet gambling. Although there have been a number of bills introduced in Congress, Pappas claims that the industry demands regulation for an enterprise that is already alive and well in the United States.
“Internet poker has been around for over 10 years, but it’s primarily operated by companies who are based offshore, outside the jurisdiction of the United States,” Pappas continued.
Not everyone shares the same optimism and support for the industry, as some anti-gamblers are concerned that online poker could be harmful for the youth in America. Pappas shared his opinion on the fear that internet gambling could lead to addictions in young people.
“There is no benefit for some child to steal their parent’s credit card, gamble, lose money, and then that site has to give all that money back,” he stated, noting that most gaming websites have an age-verification process, and require a valid form of identification to register an account.
Additionally, Holly Thomsen, the communications director with the American Gaming association, dismantled arguments that the internet provides gambling addicts with an alternative venue for their vice. While the AGA has not always supported the online poker industry, Thomsen chimed in, “If you have a computer that’s set to say ‘I don’t want to bet any more than $100 in this session,’ when you hit that mark, you’re not allowed to gamble on that site anymore.”
This is not an option always available in a land resort, showing that the internet gambling industry is just as capable, if not more, of proper regulation. Setting a limit on the amount of money that one may wager could in actuality decrease the amount of problem gambling in the U.S., which is as minimal as 2.5 percent of gamblers.
Thomsen stressed that the AGA did not wish to claim that it condones internet gambling, as the association has shown mixed feelings on the issue. She added that her organization, while conducting a study on the effects of internet gambling, maintained a neutral position on its legalization.
Thomsen commented on the opposing opinions of members within the AGA. While some are in favor of online poker, others wish to leave the authority to regulate it to individual states, and some are unwavering in their opposition to it.
“We’re trying to reconcile those viewpoints, if possible,” Thomsen said.
|
