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WOW! That sounds like a GREAT idea.
I’m all for the idea, except for one reason: if they are adamant about rejecting the idea, then the “negative” publicity may put our businesses in the limelight instantly, and this may hasten an exit for us, and mark us as test cases.
I like the attorney angle though – are these guys just versed in Maine law. How good would they be in the larger states like NY, CA, TX, and IL ? If you can score a bigger state, that adds a lot more weight than a Maine (or Washington, for that matter).
Suggest a public forum in a chat room somewhere, to gather the masses.
WE are already getting negative publicity and that is coming from the people who want to outlaw our livelihood. So far they are doing all the talking. If we remain mute it only adds to the image that they are trying to portray of us as shady characters who operate anonymously. We can point out the positivbe aspects of online gambling, like the fact that every deposit is tracked and recorded so compulsive gamblers can be flagged and shut down before they go too far. Also there is an electronic trail of every transaction, something the government dearly loves. In a brick and mortar casino someone comes in and buys with cash, cashes for cash and walks out. Not so in an online casino. And as I noted earlier, there is little cost in services for the hosting state.
Sitting back and waiting for things to get better isn’t going to work. As the anti internet gambling move gains momentum they will eventually paint the picture of us that they wish to paint and the public will only have that to go on. Once they get the laws in effect the government has the resources to search the internet and round us up. It will be too late to lobby then. A letter to each governor telling them the benefits to their state of legalizing and licensing online casino portals and casinos isn’t going to cause negative feedback, it will show that we are for real and want licensing. We are the experts on this industry, we should be involved in this. It doesn’t mean everyone has to sign the letter, many will retain their anonymity.
On the other hand, considering the lack of views and response to the post it may be a moot point since it hasn’t generated much interest so far.
>>>Sitting back and waiting for things to get better isn’t going to work<<< You are absolute right spanky Unforgently trying get US webmasters wake up and fight back semes imposiple.
They like sitting back relaxing on a boat going down.
Instead of looking for the pumps or safe boats.:banger:I have no idea why?
I also think we should fight back and thats the only way we can win.
I try a lobby idea few days ago and get no really positive response????:
I will be happy support your good idea with $1500
But will need some kind of invoice.
Let me know if you move forward maybe igcouncil.org would also be interesting to talk to for advise.I have worked with them lobbying before with good succes
By far the most effective action would be to mobilize our allies – the visitors to our site.
They need to be given an automated way to mail the politicians in their own state.
Dominique you are absolute right!
There needs be a automated way to mail the politicians in their own state.
If we had that it would make HUGE HUGE diffrence.
Also all the poker rooms could use it – I know interpoker been sending out mails to players, but they did not have a automated easy way to mail the politicians in the mail.
If it is easy mail politicians the players will do it.
Im not that knowledgable in the legal aspects of gambling, but the only way this would work is if the whole gambling community, as whole, knew about this. I think if one was to create a website explaining this, it could go pretty far. Just a thought.
Everybody please write your Congressmen Today!
Here is a easy link to use
Poker Players Alliance and PocketFives Team Up To Stop Online Gaming Banhttp://www.pocketfives.com/36CE1470-4E62-4D36-AE07-9F5C400A9926.aspx
Here is artcle from:
http://www.onlinepoker-news.com/20060615/poker_players_alliance_and_pocketfives_team_up_to_stop_online_gaming_gih.aspxNow we need it for everything included, not just poker.
Just to add my 2 cents: remember that emailing politicians has very little impact. Actual USPS letters do a lot more. It’s the same way in the entertainment business: a network can get 100 emails saying “please don’t cancel this show!”, but they consider a SINGLE printed, stamped, addressed and mailed letter to carry as much weight as the 100 emails. Also:
***I have sent real life letters to my congressmen and senators, federal and state. If you’re an American webmaster, and you haven’t done the same: GET ON IT. And get your friends on it. And your players. And your acquaintinces. And that guy you know from the gym/church/bowling league. Everyone, in other words. And you don’t have to identify as a portal owner, just as a citizen concerned about the erosion of personal freedoms under this administration****
That is a good point. I have written to my congressmen and women and gotten a written reply. It was written by someone in the office, probably not the congressperson, but it still got them thinking and I think the congress person was made aware of it and okayed the letter. Also letters to the editor get read and have some weight. It shows the public is paying attention and that is what politicians care about. If the public is asleep as usual they can do whatever pleases the lobbiest but if the public is motivated they have to take that into consideration or risk not being reelected.
A website is a good part of the plan but only part.
congress.org is a great source for voicing opinions and getting letters hand delivered to congress.
So do you American webmasters have your servers located outside the U.S?
If so where?
Does it make a difference legally?I see only two possible solutions, and both are predicated on people getting politically active in varying degress.
1) Depending on each state’s rules, something like – getting enough signatures on a petition to place say ‘online gambling is legal’ on the election ballot for voters to decide is one.
The politicians, regardless of party, are beholden to money/lobbyists when it comes down to it. So if the land based gambling interests $upport certain candidates it will not matter if a small amount of their constituents voice their opinions. The politicians know that money contributed to their re-election campaign will far outweigh concern about a minority of voters (regular gamblers/advertisers) who, if the law to make their hobby/livelyhood has been in effect for any length of time, will have already moved on.
You either fight it by outspending them (lobbying) or get the voters to overrule them when they step out of bounds. It’s been done before in controversial issues like assisted suicide and now abortion in South Dakota.
I really do not think it is a good thing that citizens have to resort to this type of thing. Think about it on the federal level – do you really want to have to keep amending the consititution every time special interests get out of countrol and pass bad laws? Unfortunately, with our courts being taken over by politicians instead of real judges this is the result as we have lost our only check on these interests.
I do think the referendum type of angle will not go anywhere until you can get a rabid (albeit small) base behind it. That means poker players and I believe it would be hard to get some of them to be the initiators behind this until at least one is actually prosecuted for playing poker online. The powers that be are not dumb though and I don’t think they have any intention of doing this. The Washington law is really just a bone they threw to their money friends. Then, of course, you have the handful of religous fanatics that care about the issue on moral grounds. They are the ones that will want actual prosecution.
2) The lobbying angle really should be done by the programs themselves, targeting US based candidates with their money. But I don’t know if they really care about this issue in terms of US affiliates. There will be plenty of non US affiliates that will target and get US customers to take their place. Just like anything else, I think the US affiliates will have to do this for themselves. It is no different than labor, education, or other issuess type of groups. Create a PAC, get/keep it financed, and try and get friendly politicians elected.
