Poker Players Alliance Unveils Political ‘Jokers’ List

Sc’s Senator Lindsey Graham is one of the most prominent ‘jokers’ on the PPA’s target list of anti-online gambling proponents.
The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) has created a list of 22 politicians that the organization is referring to as ‘jokers,’ highlighting lawmakers who are up for election in and who also oppose Internet poker november. The people on record include prospects for the Senate, House of Representatives and gubernatorial positions, and feature both Republicans and Democrats whom have opposed online gambling.
‘Over the past year, these ‘jokers’ have advocated for federal and/or state prohibitions for Internet poker. Some have actually even sought to criminalize those who perform,’ the PPA’s statement claims. ‘We wish you takes the time to contact these lawmakers before Election Day and let your voice be heard. It’s the perfect time to take the ‘jokers’ out from the deck!’
Most on List Are Most Likely to Win Elections
Most of the targets are anticipated to cruise to reelection victories this year. Those include big names, such as for instance Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who sponsored bills preferred by Sheldon Adelson which would redefine the Wire Act to ban most kinds of on the web gambling.
Possibly the most vulnerable name on the list is that of Rick Scott, the Republican governor of Florida. He could be locked in a very tight battle with previous governor Charlie Crist, with almost every recent poll showing a virtual dead heat between the two men. Scott has helped bring some of the toughest anti-online gambling laws in the country to Florida, a move that even caused subscription poker sites being appropriate in many states to take out of the market there.
Republicans Dominate List
Looking at the general list, 17 regarding the PPA’s appointed ‘jokers’ are Republicans, while just five are Democrats. This is not terribly astonishing: while you can find supporters and detractors of on line gambling on both edges of the aisle, the national GOP platform includes a plank and only banning online gambling, and Adelson, a donor that is prominent the party, is passionately in favor of such a ban. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has no formal position on the matter, giving people less incentive to come out for the on-line poker ban.
Perhaps the most prominent Democrat whom did make the list was Martha Coakley, a candidate for governor in Massachusetts. The PPA claims that Coakley made the list because of ‘multiple general public statements against online poker and gaming.’ Four Democratic House members may also be included regarding the list.
On the PPA’s web page dedicated to ‘The Jokers,’ a photograph of each politician is displayed. Hitting the pictures offers information on why they made the list, along with contact information for that lawmaker. While the PPA does not explicitly tell people to vote against these candidates, it will ask that they contact them in order to let them know that online gaming is an crucial issue to voters.
A few of the listed candidates have actually made waves in the wonderful world of online poker in recent years, regardless if they aren’t yet well-known to your public that is general. Greg Abbott, the Republican candidate for governor in Texas, normally the state’s Attorney General, and was one of the key signatories to a page by 15 attorneys general asking for a federal on the web poker ban. Marco Scavello may just be considered a State Representative in Pennsylvania, but gained notoriety for becoming the lead sponsor on a bill that could have criminalized online poker in the state.
California Chukchansi Casino Still Closed as Tribal Gaming War Continues
Warring factions at the California Chukchansi Casino remain poised to just take actions that could endanger public safety, authorities state. The property remains closed. (Image: pfadvice.com)
California’s Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino should stay closed for the safety of its customers that are own employees: that’s the phrase from the state’s Deputy Attorney General, as a dispute between two rival tribal factions shows no indications of abating.
The AG’s office this week asked a judge that is federal keep the gaming property power down until the contentious dilemmas can be resolved for good.
The Chukchansi was closed down following an armed power struggle between two rival tribes, each wrestling for control of the casino’s ownership. On October 9 at around 6:30pm, 20 armed men entered the building and ordered security guards at gunpoint into a place of the casino where these people were handcuffed and assaulted, forcing around 500 patrons and employees from the casino and hotel.
More details have since emerged of the dispute, which concerns two groups that are opposing called the Tex McDonald and Reggie Lewis factions. This indicates the McDonald faction had been operating the Chukchansi from its base at the tribe’s nearby business complex up until August, once the Lewis faction entered the casino within the very early hours of the early morning and occupied the 10th and floors that are 11th effectively using over.
The initial schism in the tribe evidently arose following an election that is disputed.
Danger to Public Safety
The ousted McDonald team claimed it then stormed the premises in order to gather casino documents and audit information that have been overdue for submission to the National Indian Gaming Commission. The Commission had threatened to close the casino down and issue it a $16 million fine if the accounts, some of which are 18 months late, were not submitted. The Commission said Friday that is last that had now gotten the audits.
However, the McDonald faction’s heavy-handed actions led to the casino’s instant closure by order of a judge that is federal. While no arrests could possibly be manufactured in reference to the armed stand-off, because it took put on tribal land, a restraining purchase is now in place to help keep both teams aside. US District Judge Lawrence O’Neill has stated that the casino may have violated the state to its agreement, which requires it not to endanger public safety.
‘All evidence points to the tensions and confrontations continuing, not abating,’ said the court documents filed by Deputy State Attorney General William Torngren this week. ‘The keys to reopening the casino have been in the tribe’s hands,’ added Torngren, who says it’s up now to officials that are tribal solve the dispute.
No Federal Interference
Little progress has apparently been made since the dramatic incident. According to Joginder Dhillon, senior adviser for tribal negotiations for California Governor Jerry Brown, the two factions ‘remain poised to simply take actions that could threaten public safety.’
Madera County Sheriff John Anderson said he hoped the casino’s continued closing would incentivize the tribe to find ground that is common. ‘Perhaps it will force the tribe to together get its act and do something positive,’ he said.
The federal government, meanwhile, said it would not step in to resolve the dispute. ‘The United States is ill-suited to make decisions that are such tribal nations,’ said Kevin Washburn, the assistant secretary for Indian Affairs, in a page to the tribe. ‘I implore you to the office together to solve this dispute for the good of your tribal government, tribal membership, and the surrounding community for which you are making such a significant impact through an effective procedure of your economic enterprises.’
PokerStars Ramps Up Rake as Amaya Backlash Grows
Few would consider PokerStars rake increase to fall under the group of ‘progress,’ such as this classic William Hogarth print. (Image: A Rake’s Progress/William Hogarth)
A PokerStars statement this week that it are going to be rake that is increasing its cash games and tournaments on its dot.com client, the newest in a string of unpopular decisions, has ignited a new player backlash against brand new owners Amaya Gaming.
The company’s announcement, which first showed up on poker forum TwoPlusTwo, has united the online poker community in its indignation, with the little finger pointed squarely at Amaya.
The changes, which will come into impact in two phases, the initial next week, on November 3, and also the second on January 1, 2015, will hit high-stakes cash-game players, heads-up cash game players, and Sit & Go players the hardest, and has triggered many players to question the profitability of continuing to relax and play the game.
A sit-out boycott associated with site is apparently presently being arranged.
PokerStars additionally stated this week it is subject to ‘significant local taxes,’ including the UK, Germany and Denmark, which are jurisdictions that have already seen their VIP programs reduced that it will be introducing extra charges for tournament rebuys and add-ons in European countries where.
Unpopular Decisions
It’s the second time in a week that the company has caused a stink, having quietly added a 2.5 % exchange price charge to deposits and withdrawals without first creating a formal announcement about the improvement in policy. Other decisions have caused consternation, too, such as for example the ditching of many of its sponsored advantages, along with all of Comprehensive Tilt, not forgetting withdrawing suddenly from over 30 grey markets without previous warning.
Speaing frankly about the present changes earlier this week, PokerStars Director of Communications Eric Hollreiser explained that they were a necessity because ‘the game is constantly changing and evolving, as is society and technology at large. Like any good poker player,’ he continued, ‘ we realize that you have to adapt or risk being left behind. The choices we make today aren’t for quick term gain; they’re made because we think they are the right thing for tomorrow.
‘ We’ll continue to make tough telephone calls to secure the game in our and work out bold moves to most readily useful invest in the future growth of the overall game. Our goal is still to offer the greatest, many poker that is exciting and keep carefully the poker universe growing,’ Hollreiser added.
Is Sheldon Alderson Involved?
PokerStars will argue that the modifications bring its rake structure in line with the remaining portion of the online poker industry, and this is broadly real. But there’s additionally a growing perception among players that there’s huge force on Amaya to recover the $4.9 billion and incurred debt from the PokerStars takeover and that it’s trying to fit every final ounce of make money from an already hugely profitable company to the detriment of the poker ecosystem.
‘I no longer think that PokerStars actually are attempting to create profit but rather there (sic) new owners are attempting to slots of vegas casino bonus codes kill poker that is online’ said one disbelieving poster on TwoPlusTwo. ‘This may sound absurd but seriously avoid being surprised if Sheldon Alderson (sic) is involved somewhere.’
‘Wow. Then Amaya are serious about jeopardizing their monopoly,’ said another if this is true. ‘Wow. Terrible. This might be awful for the long-term traffic for everything except non hyper MTTs, pretty much, and as MTTs are this kind of small % of movie stars general rake this has to be a terrible move assuming a competitor can start siphoning off players (which will eventually happen).’
One poster even mocked up a gravestone that is photoshopped bearing the epitaph: ‘PokerStars. 2001-2014. We had been poker.’
But could a player backlash really affect PokerStars’ dominance? It’s unlikely. Many players will not even notice the changes. The rest, well, in the first place, where would they go? PokerStars still offers a competitive rake structure and has now unparalleled liquidity with regards to player pools, and that suggests its monopoly is probably staying placed.
Amaya, however, has purchased perhaps one of the most profitable online gambling businesses of them all, and may want to think twice before tinkering way too much with a formula that is winning.
