You Lucky Chance Casinos - Online Casinos for US Players

A previous draft of a bill proposed by Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo to legalize casino gaming in the Bay State had included language that would make participating in an online gambling site a felony offense. Players arrested under the law could have faced a $25,000 fine or up to two years in state prison. After meetings with industry groups and members of the Poker Players Alliance, Speaker DeLeo amended the bill to remove the line criminalizing internet gambling.

The PPA, a group of online poker industry experts, professional poker players and recreational enthusiasts of the game, organized a mass e-mail campaign to twenty-five thousand Massachusetts members. The e-mail message asked them to contact their state representative to speak out against the online poker criminalization clause in the bill. Members responded by sending e-mails and making telephone calls to state lawmakers, expressing their outrage at the proposed measure.

PPA leaders voiced their approval of the new amendments. Executive Director John Pappas said that he was "proud" of the group's Massachusetts contingent for "[stepping] up to the plate and (making) their voices heard" and called the efforts "grassroots at its finest". Rich Muny, the director of the group's Kentucky chapter, said that the Massachusetts branch had been asked to "call of the dogs" after their successful campaign led to the desired changes.

Another amendment to the bill under consideration is that poker should be defined as a "game of skill" instead of a "game of chance." PPA leaders are also urging members to contact their legislators to support this measure, as it would protect poker from future prohibitions against casino gaming.

Thus far, only the State of Washington has labeled internet poker as a crime. Officials in Kentucky have sought to have the domain names of leading internet poker sites, such as PokerStars, Full Tilt and Ultimate Bet, seized under the state's law on illegal gambling devices.

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