- The Poker Players Alliance once again found itself embroiled in controversy this week following comments made by Executive Director John Pappas.
- The DGE is taking the lead on the convergence of social and casino gaming from a regulatory standpoint.
- The New Jersey legislature is moving forward with its plans to allow sports betting in the state.
- MGM Resorts International is the company behind the “Let NY Play” initiative that seeks to legalize online poker in the state of New York.
The Poker Players Alliance once again found itself embroiled in controversy this week following comments made by Executive Director John Pappas. In a statement to Poker News, Pappas indicated that the PPA would oppose a poker carveout in the Restoration of America’s Wire Act if it were being pushed forward in the next lame duck session.
Pappas also expressed an unpopular viewpoint that “that the success of poker often is built on other forms of gaming.” An uproar ensued as members of the poker community accused the PPA of straying from their mission to promote poker in favor of the more broader igaming interests of their corporate donors.
Pappas clarified his position to poker journalist Steve Ruddock stating that a carveout would only maintain the status quo and not specifically legalize online poker at the federal level. Pappas added that the prohibition on other forms of Internet gambling would likely stall the advancement of online poker in the US.
