Movement to Legalize Online Poker May Be Losing Momentum

Members of the online poker community have been working towards legal online poker bills for years. They are finally gaining ground in the movement. However, a few complications may keep the community from gaining momentum.

The industry has gotten as far as it has because players and activist groups have worked together so closely. Their union has dissipated a bit, and it is unclear whether or not the movement will keep going as strongly as it has.

The American Gaming Association and the Poker Player’s Alliance have been instrumental in setting the stage for the legalization of online poker. The PPA is facing a few problems that threaten to break its alliance.

Many of the people who supported the PPA were executives at Full Tilt Poker. Those who are not being indicted have lost whatever influence they had. What is going to happen to the movement to regulate online poker if one of its biggest advocates loses commitment?

Many players have lost faith in the PPA after the fallout from the Full Tilt scandal. Other advocates are trying to distance themselves from the PPA as well. Rep. Barney Frank was a leading advocate for the PPA and a member of the House Financial Services Committee.

Frank received donations from the PPA and members of Full Tilt. He returned the contributions after the charges against Full Tilt members came up. Frank appears to want to sever any political ties to Full Tilt and the PPA. Without his support, the PPA will have a more difficult time getting their message across.

Other politicians are following Frank’s example. Shelley Berkley, Joe Heck and Dean Heller are all members of Congress who have given their Full Tilt and PPA campaign contributions to charity. Senate majority leader Harry Reid has donated the money Full Tilt members contributed to him. Reid will retain the money Full Tilt donated.

The PPA needs support from members in Washington if it is going to get its message through both houses. The Full Tilt poker scandal doesn’t come at the best possible time. A draft of the online poker bill fell apart. These tensions show there may be some reluctance to proceed with regulating online poker.