If you’re an online poker player, it’s a good bet that you don’t appreciate the Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA) – an effort to ban online gaming on a federal level. And thanks to a new petition that’s available online, now’s your chance to do something about RAWA. That said, let’s discuss the petition further and what will happen if it gets enough support.
One Month to get 100k Signatures
While RAWA is still a long shot to pass, it has potential thanks to the backing of billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. But if the anti-RAWA petition can get 100,000 signatures before May 2, it will force the Obama Administration to take a very close look at the Adelson-backed bill and consider killing it immediately. Right now, the petition has several thousand signatures and if you’d like to sign it, visit here. Below you can take a closer look at what the petition entails:
“Some in Congress seek a federal shutdown of state-authorized online poker and other betting websites, and a ban on future sites. This would set a dangerous precedent where Congress could block states from authorizing online intrastate commerce. Regardless of personal opinions on wagering, the Tenth Amendment directs that states decide such matters, not Congress.
RAWA benefits only certain large donors, while state-licensed sites safeguard players, prevent underage participation, and protect those with excessive gaming habits. And, the safety and security of licensed sites drives unlicensed sites out of the market.”
Another Great Byproduct of this Petition
Aside from stopping a potential federal ban on iGaming, another thing that this petition would do is bring about more efforts to legalize online gaming. After all, a great deal of energy and lobbying is being put towards halting RAWA right now. And if this time and energy could instead be put towards legalizing iGaming on a state-by-state level, it would have a big impact on getting more states to offer the activity.
Already Support from Famous Poker Players
It could be a battle for this petition to get 100k signatures before May 2, but at least there are some famous poker players trying to push the agenda. Here are a couple tweets from Phil Hellmuth and Doyle Brunson on the matter:
Phil Hellmuth – “If u love poker, let the President know! Take a second to sign this petition to stop ban of iPoker. Pass it on”
Doyle Brunson – “Signatures needed for the Protect Internet Freedom petition @ppapoker”
If you’d like to join Doyle and the Poker Brat in the fight to get rid of RAWA, then be sure to visit Whitehouse.gov and voice your support.