PPA Moves to D.C.
The Poker Player’s Alliance has experienced significant growth and success in
the past few months. The Alliance has spent months spreading the word about the
Alliance and its purpose, and has encouraged poker players who feel the online
casino ban is unfair to the American player to join the cause and affect change
in current U.S. legislation. Specifically of concern in the Alliance is
neutralizing the online casinos ban in the U.S., or at least pushing through
legislation that would carve out separate legislation for the game of online
poker specifically.
The chairman of the Alliance, Alfonso D’Amato is well respected and has
frequently made national news with his support for various online casino and
internet gambling related bills currently facing Congress. D’Amato also recently
announced that the Alliance’s membership had grown sufficiently to justify the
group taking position in Washington, DC. And now, on the heels of that
announcement, the Alliance will also have a new Executive Director. The
Alliance’s former president, Michael Bolcerek, was well liked in the Alliance
and has had a positive impact on shaping the direction of the Alliance and its
mission to legalize online casinos poker in the U.S. – but now as the group
moves to DC, Bolcerek announced that he will remain in California to pursue
other business interests. John Pappas is stepping in as the new Executive
Director, and D’Amato will remain as Chairman.
D’Amato made the announcement of new upper level management at the Alliance, and
prefaced it with an assertion about the importance of maintaining a strong
presence in Washington. He notes, “It is vital that the PPA centralize its
efforts in D.C. so we can best serve the interests of our over 660 000 members.”
Bolcerek was positive about the future of the Alliance, its mission to
neutralize the online casinos ban, and further, he commented on the appointment
of Pappas. He says, “I am happy to have helped the cause of American poker
players and expect to see continued success from the efforts of Senator D’Amato
and our new Executive Director, John Pappas.”
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