The Poker Players Alliance has released details of a letter being sent to Attorney Generals asking them to support the Restoration of Americas Wire Act.
In January 2014, supporters of the Restoration of Americas Wire Act (RAWA) circulated a letter among fifty of the country´s Attorney Generals. The letter called for a nationwide ban on Internet gambling – including the states in which Internet gambling was already regulated – while clarification of the language of the Wire Act was sought. Those in favor of the ban were asked to add their signature to the letter.
The response was less than impressive, with just fifteen Attorney Generals supporting the letter. However, undeterred by the lack of enthusiasm for a blanket ban on Internet gambling, two Attorney Generals are requesting the support of their fellow lawmakers for another letter which suggests that the regulation of Internet gambling has not worked, and that teenage gambling addiction has become a significant problem.
A Return to the Wild West of Internet Gambling
Using the same flawed arguments that have been proven incorrect many times before, the letter – addressed to members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the Judiciary – has been authored by Chris Koster and Alan Wilson – respectively the Attorney Generals for Missouri and South Carolina.
The letter suggests that, if RAWA is not adopted, there will be a return to the “Wild West of Internet Gambling” – with law enforcement officers powerless to combat criminal activity, money laundering and the funding of terrorist organizations. It also warns that the failure to prohibit Internet gambling will have a “negative impact on the general welfare of our states”.
Koster and Wilson are asking Attorney Generals to indicate their support for the letter by authorizing the National Association of Attorney Generals to attach their signature to the letter. The full content of the letter to the Judiciary Committees and the supporting letter to the Attorney generals has been posted on scribd.com by Rich Muny – the Vice President of Player Relations for the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) – who is also leading the opposition to the new Attorney General RAWA threat.
Do Not Support a Federal Power Grab
In response to the effort to drum up support for RAWA, the PPA has come out with all guns firing. Under a new initiative, the Association is asking its members and all online gamblers to send a pre-written letter to the General Attorney in their state asking them not to support a “Federal Power Grab”.
#RAWA supporters are trying to get Attorneys General to sign a letter against Internet #poker, don’t let that happen https://t.co/dZtyPd5Xue
— PokerPlayersAlliance (@ppapoker) October 21, 2015
The PPA´s letter argues that the passage of RAWA would strip states´ rights to license, regulate, or even allow online lottery sales, online poker and online casino-style games; and instead of affecting offshore gambling sites, if RAWA were to gain sufficient support, the legislation would close down existing state-sanctioned online activities and prohibit the introduction of future ones.
As well as asking players to write to their state General Attorney, members of the public are also being asked to write to members of the House Judiciary Committees, so that if Koster and Wilson´s letter gains support from the state Attorney Generals, committee members will be made aware that the Attorney Generals supporting the Restoration of Americas Wire Act do not have the support of the man in the street.
You can do your part in fighting the Restoration of Americas Wire Act by visiting the Poker Action Plan pages on the 2+2 Poker Forum and registering your opposition to the new Attorney General RAWA threat.
