In an interview with CalvinAyre.com’s Becky Liggero, Poker Player Alliance Executive Director John Pappas made a point of clarifying that, while the PPA supports the promotion of poker as a game of skill, it is not the primary strategy for achieving federal legislation.
“I don’t want it confused that this is the way we believe we are going to get regulation and licensing in the US,” he stated, adding: “I don’t go and talk to lawmakers and talk about poker being a game of skill.”
According to Pappas, the skill game argument is a “legal” argument, one that affects how poker is treated under current laws. The PPA strives to highlight the differences between poker and other casino games.
However, he emphasizes that consumer protection and potential state revenue are the “political” arguments that are key to having poker licensed in the US. These are the arguments in favor of regulating poker that are being made on Capitol Hill and in state houses across the country.
