The Poker Player’s Alliance has joined the lawsuit between the Commonwealth of Kentucky and PokerStars in a bid to make sure any spilled money goes to the players and not government officials.
The Poker Player’s Alliance (PPA) reminds everyone that there is a lawsuit pending between the Commonwealth of Kentucky and PokerStars, by filing a motion to join the acrimonious dispute.
Kentucky politicians began their pejorative pursuit of PokerStars.com, and 140 other online gambling domains back in 2008. The state held a view that online gambling dens were nefarious ‘gambling devices’ that were offering illegal services to their residents.
Next, the repugnant race to raid the cookie jar of the online establishments reached a federal level in the aftermath of Black Friday (in which the Department of Justice (DOJ) seized the PokerStars.com domain name). In 2013, the DOJ handed Kentucky a check for $6m. They went away happy.
Although PokerStars never settled with Kentucky, Bwin.party digital entertainment did. Partygaming was one of those 140 domain names mentioned above, and in the summer of 2013 Party (who had since merged with Bwin) decided to settle and hand over $15m.
It seems $21m is not enough.
Kentucky wants more.
The PPA has joined the fight because they want to ensure any further checks end up in the former Kentucky online poker players pockets, and not government officials.
According to PokerNews, the PPA has over a million members, approx. 14,000 of which are Kentucky residents. The law firm of Lynch, Cox, Gilman & Goodman, P.S.C will be doing everything in their power to ensure the money is funnelled in the right direction.
What money?
Eric Hollreiser, Vice President of corporate communications for Amaya Inc., reacted quickly to the news. He commended the actions of the PPA, suggesting that, should money be spilled, that it should end up in the pockets of former Kentucky-based players while also declaring that the company he represents doesn’t believe there is a case of merit.
Pappas, made an excellent point in his summing up, when he said the Kentucky lawmakers should have been spending all of this time and money creating a safe and regulated online gambling market in the state – an avenue that would have given them the same pound of flesh.
The case (or lack of one) continues.
Pappas Pens Op-Ed in RAWA Rebuttal
Pappas put pen to paper this week in an opinion piece rebutting the motives of the ‘Casino in Every Smartphone – Law Enforcement Implications’ hearing that will go in front of the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee this week.
Pappas reminds people that the ‘insidious title’ comes from Sheldon Adelson puppet Rep.Jason Chaffetz – the lead sponsor behind the Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA). A Bill Pappas refers to as the ‘Adelson Bill.’
His main bone of contention is the interpretation of FBI letters dating from 2009 & 2013 that Chaffetz will use to argue that the agency wanted online gaming to be banned. Instead, Pappas believes the FBI notes contains a ‘compelling case for licensing and regulating online gambling’ as well as ‘highlighting the vulnerabilities of an unregulated market.’
The PPA chief also pours scorn on the hypocrisy of Chaffetz’s attempts at carving out a policy that would allow betting on Fantasy Sports and Horse Racing to be legal, and online poker not.
You can read Pappas thoughts in full right here.
