Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist tried to attach the internet gambling ban to a defense authorization bill, but Sen. Carl Levin and Sen. John Warner rejected Frist\’s proposal on the grounds that an online wagering ban would not be relevant to defense legislation. According to Amy Call, spokeswoman for Bill Frist, the Senate Majority Leader continues to search for other bills that could be used as a vehicle to prohibit online gambling.
In Las Vegas, 9 of the 18 main sponsors of the Casino Affiliate Convention withdrew from attending over fears that U.S. law enforcement officials would raid the event, while 21 of the registered 49 exhibitors declined to set up their booths. Attendees at the conference totalled approximately 500, noticeably down from last year’s total of 700.
The Poker Players Alliance “Phone March” on Washington earlier last week yielded more than 3,000 phone calls to the offices of United States Senators. “The March sent a clear message to the Senate that Americans are passionate about their ability to play the popular game of skill on the Internet,” PPA President Michael Bolcerek said in a statement. “Congress can no longer disregard citizen support for online poker and their freedom to use the Internet.”
“We hope that the Senate will take a more enlightened approach to online poker,” added Bolcerek. “Rather than prohibiting the game, Congress must work towards regulation to ensure the security of online sites while upholding the rights of their constituents to play the game they love.”
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