I emailed my Congressman and asked his position on iPoker without indicating my view. Below is his response.

October 20, 2011





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Dear XXXXXX:



Thank you for contacting me regarding internet gambling. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts on legalizing Internet gambling.



I believe that gambling regulations are a state issue and should be regulated by the legislatures of each individual state.



At present, Internet gambling is illegal in all 50 states. In recent years, after enacting legislation to ban online gambling, it became apparent that states could not effectively enforce such prohibitions against the many offshore companies which continued to violate these laws. Therefore, in 2006, the National Association of Attorneys General sought a legislative remedy from Congress. The result was overwhelming passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) to restrict the payment systems used to operate Internet gambling websites by off-shore companies conducting online gambling transactions within the United States. It is important to note that UIGEA does not make Internet gambling illegal, it simply provides an enforcement mechanism for states to implement their legislative regulations. The UIGEA passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 317-93, with the support of 48 state Attorneys General.



Internet gambling, contrary to industry slogans, is hardly a victimless crime. Its victims are the thousands of young people recruited by online gambling sites who become compulsive gamblers. Additionally, the unique nature of the Internet puts all online gambling participants at increased risk in a variety of ways. Online players can gamble 24 hours a day from home. Children can play without rigorous age verification. Credit card betting can distort the real value of stakes and losses leading to addiction, bankruptcy and crime. Families often face serious consequences as well, including the loss of a job, marriage and home that can result from addictive gambling. Finally, a lack of privacy regulations and commercial transparency in online gambling sites opens the door to identity theft and fraud.



I believe that UIGEA is good policy that protects and empowers states, allowing them to draft their own legislation regarding Internet gambling. UIGEA will reduce the illegal, foreign online gambling business in the United States. As always, the power to prohibit or allow such online gambling remains with the states.



Again, thank you for contacting me on this issue. Please feel free to contact me if you have additional questions or concerns at (202) 225-7041 or visit my website at www.house.gov/graves for more information.


Sincerely,

Sam Graves
Member of Congress

Are you sure you didn't say something to indicate you wanted online poker regulated?

So online poker is illegal in 34 states that allow skill games?

According to this misinformed Congressman. Or does he know better and think his constituents are dumb?

Experience: Farmer
Education: BS, University of Missouri-Columbia
Faith: Baptist

Not that I'm stereotyping but I guess his response is no surprise.

No twitter for us to hit up. He does have facebook but it's not open for comments, so go down to this post:
How Do Federal Regulations Cost American Small Businesses? We're Listening.

and make a post and like all poker related posts. Here's mine

Hit this post up to:
Chairman Sam Graves announces the launch of Small Biz Open Mic...

Why does his being a farmer and giving that response not surprise you?

I should of bolded the Baptist part

Thanks for posting this OP.

Too many here believe our opponents are simply uninformed or, worse, are just too stupid to see the logic of supporting poker. I hope this helps many to see that we have real opponents who have real opinions.

As I say often, we need to "know our enemy" if we wish to win this fight. Wishing them away as simply lacking in knowledge won't win the fight.

Here's his FB page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sam-Graves/118514606128

It's at http://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...d=118514606128.

Is it all right to "educate" our opponents in Congress?

I wouldn't sit in a room with Rep. Bachus and walk him through the specifics of our advocacy efforts.

Done.

Knowing your enemies relative strengths and weaknesses on different terrain is an essential part of any battle strategy.

I think that allowing your enemy to dictate where the battle is fought is an egregious strategic error. Since 2006, the PPA has made the cardinal mistake of fighting FOR regulation on Capitol Hill, where every one of poker's opponents can join in, effectively so far.

Yeah, DC was a necessary defensive action, but affirmative gaming regulation/legalization has never been a federal level issue.

A couple of State wins, brought in more gaming-friendly States than where poker enemies hold sway, might have made the early battles easier to win than charging up Capitol Hill every year.

The UIGEA clearly allowed for intrastate online gaming, subject to some minor conditions, and it exists in Nevada as everyone knows. NJ passed a bill last year, but it was vetoed. DC passed a bill. California, Florida, and other States are looking at online poker as a revenue source.

The strength poker opponents muster on Capitol Hioll is not uniform in every State, if a Federal Bill does not pass this year, it would be foolish to wait to fight the same opponents on their chosen turf in 2012, 2013, 2014 or whenever. Take the regulation fight to the States where gaming has allies and revenue is needed.

I would prefer a national solution as opposed to a state by state solution because the feds have shown they feel they can tell the states what to do and the reverse is not true. Witness medicinal marijuana.

+1

Sports betting is another good example.