Poker Player Alliance's National Poker Week Set for July 19 - 25

Poker Player Alliance's National Poker Week Set for July 19 - 25

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) announced National Poker Week will be held July 19-25, to rally the PPA’s nationwide membership and send a message to lawmakers that their constituents support poker and legislation that regulates and licenses online poker.

“Our members—the poker players of America—are our best advocates to protect the future of poker,” PPA Chairman and former Senator Alfonse D’Amato (pictured right) said. “National Poker Week, with events in Washington, D.C., and across the country, is the PPA’s way to make it clear to my former colleagues in the U.S. Congress that poker is important to voters and is here to stay.”

PPA’s state directors and half a dozen professional poker players will meet with members of Congress in Washington, DC to ask them to support Barney Frank’s (D-MA) bill to license and regulate online poker,. They will also deliver a petition to President Obama asking his support to exempt poker from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), and for the licensing and regulation of online poker. To sign the online petition visit, http://www.pokerpetition.com/.

PPA will also organize telephone and email campaigns to Congressional offices for poker players to make their voices heard. You can visit http://www.nationalpokerweek.com/ to learn how to be an advocate for the game during National Poker Week.

In addition to meetings with members of Congress, PPA will host a charity poker tournament on Tuesday, July 21, benefiting the USO and the Malone House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Wounded servicemen and women will be playing alongside poker pros, PPA’s state directors, members of Congress and their staff. PPA is covering all administrative costs so that all proceeds from the event go directly to the USO.

PPA is working with leading technology providers to host a “tech demo” that highlights the ability to regulate online poker through programs to verify age and ensure fairness of play, among other things.

PPA also announced MyPokerStory.com, a program to collect and record stories from poker players across the nation on why poker is so important to them and why they believe the government should keep poker legal. People can record their own video and upload it directly to http://www.mypokerstory.com/, or visit the PPA booth at the World Series of Poker and record and submit a video there. Everyone who submits a video will be entered into a drawing to win our special Grand Prize: a two-night Las Vegas vacation (with airfare) for two. Runners up will also be selected for other special PPA prizes.

For more information, please visit http://www.nationalpokerweek.com/, and to sign the PPA’s petition to President Obama, please visit http://www.pokerpetition.com/.