Interestingly, while Utah is one of only two US states that permits no gambling whatsoever, Herbert’s letter is not a jeremiad about the evils of gambling. Instead, Herbert states that it is “a matter of both constitutional and social preference that matters relating to gaming be regulated by states for the benefit of their residents.” Herbert even cites the Department of Justice’s pre-Christmas about-face on the Wire Act’s scope as justification for this stance. Herbert warns that passing federal laws re online gambling would “encroach on our 10th Amendment rights.”
On the other side of the coin, the Poker Players Alliance is using the upcoming anniversary of Black Friday to launch a new awareness campaign. The Players Will Never Fold campaign is a ‘remember the Alamo’ call to arms that provides players with easy links to contact their local federal representatives and demand action on Rep. Joe Barton’s stalled HR 2366 poker legislation. The PPA is also encouraging players to contribute to a ‘Black Friday Money Bomb’ campaign fund. Too bad the video’s background music sounds so much like the patriotic muzak in those cloying commercials for commemorative 9/11 coins. You know, the kind where you spend good money for something that doesn’t really have any value?