Olympia, WA (March 17, 2011) – Members of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) from across the state of Washington are spending the day in Olympia today to ask their state lawmakers to overturn the draconian state law that makes Washingtonians felons for enjoying a hand of poker on their home computers. The PPA, the leading poker grassroots advocacy group with more than one million members nationwide and more than 20,000 in Washington State…

Washington, DC (June 7, 2010) – Poker players nationwide now have an innovative new tool for asking their members of Congress to support poker. The Poker Players Alliance, the leading poker grassroots advocacy group with more than one million members nationwide, unveiled its new iPhone app with an innovative click to call Congress feature. Our members are extremely tech savvy and always looking for more ways to show their support for protecting their right to play poker.

Washington, DC (May 19, 2010) – John Pappas, Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the leading poker grassroots advocacy group, with more than one million members nationwide, today released the following statement on the House Ways and Means Committee hearing on HR 4976, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act of 2010. “Today’s hearing underscores the increasing Congressional interest in a licensed and regulated online gaming environment.

County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution stating their opposition to a „major commercial gaming facility in the unincorporated area of Clark County.“ “We don’t allow card rooms; we don’t allow slot machines,” said Commissioner Betty Sue Morris. Phil Harju, a member of the Cowlitz Tribal Council and its designated casino spokesman, has said he didn’t think the resolution would apply to the tribe’s casino.

The Washington County District Attorney’s Office received a grant today from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Washington County officials say they plan to use the USD 153,000 grant to crack down on illegal slot machines with the formation of a new task force. „It’s obviously a problem, it really is,“ said Washington County DA, Steven Toprani. „We have meetings with state police, with the vice unit, so there are problems around the county that pertain to this.“

Europe and the United States are on the brink of a major trade dispute worth billions of pounds over Washington’s decision to renege on international trade commitments and protect its domestic gambling industry by preventing foreign companies from entering the lucrative market. The Remote Gambling Association (RGA), whose members include such household names as Labrokes, Skybet, William Hill and Paddy Power, said yesterday that the US action, if unchallenged, could lead to similar protectionist behaviour in other areas.

An American attorney is taking legal action against the western state of Washington claiming that its online wagering ban infringes the US Constitution’s protections of interstate trade. Lawyer and poker aficionado Lee Rousso has filed suit in King County Superior Court in an effort to overturn the State’s ban on Internet gambling, a topic that also has the US mired in international trade disputes. “I think my chances are darn good,” said Rousso.

Washington (Reuters) – A Florida congressman is expected to introduce legislation on Thursday exempting poker and some other games from the Internet gambling ban passed by Congress last year, the lawmaker’s aide said on Wednesday. The bill planned by Democratic Rep. Robert Wexler would carve out „skill games“ such as online poker, bridge, chess and mahjong from the online gambling prohibition that President George W. Bush signed into law in October.