Poker scores major legal victories in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Colorado, Mass, and SC

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Here are some of online poker’s 2009 successes at the state level:

1)    Kentucky – On January 20th, the Kentucky Court of Appeals reversed a lower court order authorizing the Commonwealth to seize 141 Internet gambling domain names.  The PPA and its legal team were deeply involved in the appeal, along with support from a coalition of pro-Internet freedom organizations. Despite the ruling, the Commonwealth of Kentucky has appealed  to the Kentucky Supreme Court. 

 

2)    Pennsylvania – On January 14, Judge Thomas James in Columbia County, PA dismissed illegal gambling charges against a man and his girlfriend who were organizing Texas Hold’em tournaments.  Ruling that poker is a "game of skill," and therefore not illegal gambling.  This legal victory will not go unchallenged, though.  Similar to Kentucky, PA Commonwealth filed notice to appeal the decision. 

3)    Colorado – On January 23, a jury a man charged with illegal gambling (for organizing a poker league) "not guilty."  The jury’s not guilty verdict was due in large part to witnesses’ testimony arguing that skill predominates over chance in poker.  This legal win will serve as a road map to other successful poker arguments before juries and judges in the future.

4)    Virginia – On January 2, the full Senate Courts of Justice Committee considered S999, a bill which would have reclassified gambling in the state to an activity with "any element of chance" rendering participation in these activities for consideration illegal.   If passed this would have amounted to one of the broadest definition of gambling in the nation, not only sweeping in poker, but even games like chess and bridge and even golf or NASCAR racing.  Virginia members of the PPA flooded local lawmakers with calls and e-mails, and thanks to our VA State Director Jeff Gregson who took to the halls of the Senate and lobbied for a NO vote on the bill. The combination of a coordinated effort between our State Director, members on the ground, and our national headquarters, was extremely effective.  The state Senate Courts of Justice Committee unanimously voted to essentially kill the bill.

 

5)    Massachusetts – On Feb 2, the PPA learned that bill HR 3954 was introduced in the Massachusetts State Assembly that authorizes casinos in the state but at the same time makes playing poker on the Internet a crime, punishable by two years in prison and a $25,000.00 fine.  Within 12 hours the PPA sent a blast e-mail to our MA membership to urge them to call the lead sponsors of the bill.  Less than 5 hours later, the state Reps who authored the legislation committed to remove the provision.  They also personally apologized to our PPA members who expressed their concerns with how the bill was drafted.  

 

6)    South Carolina – On Feb 19, A South Carolina judge ruled that Texas Hold ‘em poker is a game of skill, a ruling that could prevent police from arresting people taking part in a friendly game of poker. In April 2006, police raided a poker game in a private home on Glencoe Street and the five players are the last of about two dozen cited in the raid.

 

These cases show the effectiveness of writing and calling your state and federal representatives, along with the tremendous work the PPA is doing fighting poker legislation. As a PPA member, I strongly urge all poker players to support the PPA.

Related Articles: Fight the online poker ban, Are casinos coming to Massachusetts?