Poker Players Alliance - What’s it for?
EDIT: I am aware of the site issues below the first few posts. Working on it now.
I have been a member of the Poker Player’s Alliance for a long long time. My member number is 36946. There are almost a million members now. We have done quite a few comics in support of them over the years and I am directly responsible for dozens of signups. As as site I would say we are also responsible for hundreds if not thousands of new members. So I would like to think my voice matters to them. We will see.
Early last year sometime I ran a poll asking our readers if they thought the PPA was doing enough as an organization in the “fight” for players rights. Overwhelmingly you voted NO. Almost a year later and confidence is still just as low. Now some of you have been emailing me saying you have “canceled” your memberships. It is more symbolic than anything since they already have your fee, but I applaud your motives. I just may do the same here soon if things don’t change.
I am motivated to gripe specifically due to the scandals that have rocked the online poker world the last year. The questions are really simple; What is the PPA’s stance on any one of these issues? How come they have not condemned the actions of Absolute Poker? Why are they not using the numbers of it’s members to gain national media attention? Why are they not capitalizing on these moments to interject themselves into the spotlight and raise awareness to the issue of government regulation? How come they aren’t on TV more? One would think a million people should be heard. How come I the only email I received from them in months was a copy of the candidates and their views on gaming? Now I appreciate that effort as simplistic as it was. But why have they not utilized that 800 thousand plus email list they have to warn their members of unethical and criminal behavior of a well known poker room?
Where do the member dues go?
As members of this organization we have the right to have the answer to each and every one of those questions. I mean really. What are they doing over there? Nobody ever thought that it might be a good idea to get out a mailing list and do a regular newsletter?
I have decided to ask them some of these questions via their forums. I suggest all who read this join me over there and lets see if we can’t get some answers. Let them know what you think.
Now another problem I am having is with the media coverage or lack of. Absolute’s numbers from what I hear are not suffering. It is as if nobody cares the site they play on was cheating their own customers and at the highest level. I don’t think that is the case. I think the people just don’t know. This story should be poker’s Britney Spears. Did any of the major magazines post it in big bold headlines on the cover? With the exception of the forums and blogs how much attention has been given to it? If I were running a magazine I would have done a black cover with big red letters, “Cheating Rocks The Online Poker World“… It should be a dead horse beaten so badly that we need another horse to beat. And it sure looks like UB might be that horse. Yippy Ki yay!
If the majority of Absolute players knew what was really going on that site would collapse. What also needs to happen is these so called celebrity endorsers need to abandon ship and the high stakes players need to move to another site. Full Tilt should try and recruit these players with some sort of bonus. I suggested in another blog that if someone provides proof of a canceled Absolute or Ultimate Bet account they should get a bonus. Come on Full Tilt… STEP UP.
I am going to actively seek the cooperation of my fellow bloggers and those in the media to call for an all out boycott of Absolute Poker, Ultimate Bet , and any other similar properties. This goes for everyone. Anyone who claims they care about this game should have no problem participating. I am calling you all out. The bloggers, the magazines, the radio shows, the news portals, EVERYONE! It really is pretty simple.. Stop playing on these sites, stop advertisements, make the public aware, give them the bad press they deserve! BOYCOTT in every sense of the word.
Another thing I hope happens is there needs to be full disclosure out of Kahnawake. What did they know, when, who owns what, how many other casinos do they or someone connected to them own? How many complaints go unresolved or unchecked? Why are the penalties always monetary and directly paid to Kahnawake? etc… etc.. Where is the investigative journalism in poker media? Do we have any? There are a few of you out there. Now is your time to shine.
The PPA could get national media attention on this if they wanted to. So why don’t they? If the idea is to get government regulation you would think they would welcome these scandals with open arms. It is perfect firepower for the argument. It all also seems like an interesting story for a Dateline or 20/20. The Absolute scandal has everything. Really any one of these recent scandals would make for good media TV… They just need to know about it and have the right pressure applied to report on it. It’s a little different when a representative of a million people calls the news desk than it is for the average person with a strongly worded email scooping a story.
You know… Maybe I don’t know what I am talking about. It might not be as simple as I think for the PPA to act. I am afterall just the comic guy. But hopefully I can get some ball rolling and we can start to reclaim the game. Online poker created the boom and online poker will kill the game.. Are we going to let it?
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January 20th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Right on Frank!!!!
January 20th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
[...] Talk to the author know. [...]
January 20th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Already deleted my AP and UB accounts. Fuck them.
January 21st, 2008 at 8:20 am
While I agree with your overall sentiment, I think you’re being a little hard on the PPA.
The PPA sees its main priority in making sure online poker is legal in the United States. This is what they do; they lobby for legislation to clarify/modify aspects of the UIGEA to protect online poker.
The question for them is, should they also take time and resources to investigate/campaign against fraud? It’s not a trivial question; it involves shifting from a politically-oriented organization into what’s essentially consumer protection.
It may be that what’s needed is not for the PPA to change its focus, but for a new organization to be formed with the *purpose* of protecting poker players from this sort of thing. Such an organization might be better equipped to do things like investigate scandals and even become a new, corruption-free certification authority for online poker rooms.
I say “may” and “might” because that may also be wrong–but I think it’s important to least ask the question.
January 21st, 2008 at 12:58 pm
The PPA does not, and never has, represent poker players. It’s a con, it’s a money laundering operation.
The US has laws that regulate political contributions from foriegn companies. The purpose of the PPA is to get around those laws. Most of the membership did not pay dues, my membership is because I signed up for a freeroll at http://FTP. The PPA refused to reveal their sources of funding, and it’s not from membership dues.
Just look at who their front people are. Linda Johnson, she used to promote Costa Rican land deals, until the promoter went south with the money. That NY senator, he’s had a lifetime of mob ties. Annie Duke, spokesperson for PPA and for UB. UB has been scamming us for years, going back to that phony ARUBA WPT tournament.
These people are not your friend, they do not have your best interest in mind in any way.
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:04 pm
[...] operator (STT, 01/22/08) blogs: Can uJogo Make Money with Free Online Poker? (GigaOm, 01/22/08) Poker Players Alliance - What’s it for? (Life’s A Bluff, 01/20/08) excerpts: Deadwood card room expands, buys neighboring casino (Rapid City Journal, 01/18/08 - SD) [...]
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Cleon -
I don’t see how emailing all their members warning them of potential fraud on sites their members play on is a waste of time or resources. A newsletter is by far the most basic of any group and it doesn’t take a genius to set one up.
While it may seem obvious to everyone that these types of scandals are universally condemned, symbolic gestures go a long way. What signal has been sent to the poker sites around the world due to the Absolute scandal? It says you can sabotage your software and steal from your players… and if you get caught nobody is going to make a stink… not the poker media, certainly not the mainstream media, no covers of magazines, and not the million members of the PPA. Oh sure you might get some rumbles from the blogs but in the long run nobody is going to care. Nobody cares.. integrity means zero these days… You think Mark Seif knows what integrity means?
I absolutely think these issues should be confronted by the PPA. If they don’t have the resources I am sure you can find someone out there will to write an email for them and send to the million members.
I am not asking much… but maybe I have been wrong about what the PPA is all about. I was a member long before the UIEGA.. I always considered the PPA the union for players, a group that would stand together and with one voice assure the average poker player gets a fair shake.
The same question I posed over on their boards…. If tomorrow everything with poker was dandy and we had government regulation, American owned and operated casinos are opening all over the place… Would the PPA disband?
To Gary:
Thanks for stopping by and giving us your opinion. I am aware of your feelings on the PPA, maybe you can explain to our readers why you think the “carve out” argument is the wrong approach.
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:04 am
[...] Well not really much out of the PPA since my rant the other day. I posted over on the organization forums and the only response was by the Kentucky State representative. He seems to think the PPA is a very efficient organization and neither time nor resources are being wasted. I respectfully disagreed. He also thinks more harm is done than good by bringing up the scandals. Why warning it’s members to steer clear of questionable sites and other similar issues shouldn’t be part of the PPA’s policy I don’t understand. I think that most members think that the PPA is there to act as one loud voice for the player and to help protect the integrity of the game. If tomorrow there was no dispute as to the legality of online poker and all was right with the world, would the PPA disband? I doubt the answer is yes. So it get’s back to my original question , What is the PPA for? [...]
January 23rd, 2008 at 8:39 am
Being retired from the the nevada and California Poker Communies, I am well aware of what to look for to protect. It did not take long for me to find plays by players that just didn’t make sense both on Absolute and Ultimate Bet poker. Example: (this is only one siuation of many) Player rises pot from #2 position from big blind $400, player #4 calls (Me) player #6 re-raise to $1800, player #7 re-rasies $5400 Player #2 re-raises goes all-in for $7200. Player #4 passes. I #6 go all-in.. Player #7 goes all-in Player #2 shoes Q diamonds, seven hearts, player #6 (me) shows pocket KK, player #7 shows pocket QQ. Flopp comes 10 clubs 7 clubs 7 Spades. To me this sent up a red flag, the most novice player would not play Q7 that way. I immedimately quit playing and study both of these sites. I found many many plays that were similiar in nature, I iclosed my accounts at both sites. I also would advise all PPA members to boycott these sites. Please remember the above is not a bad beat story, but fact also beware of sites that have shills or allow their employees to play. William W. Grey PPA Member
January 23rd, 2008 at 8:49 am
William thanks for your comments…
Being a PPA member do you think it should be part of the PPA’s agenda to take public positions and/or advise it’s members to steer clear of questionable sites? Is protecting the integrity of the game just as import and freedom to play?
February 17th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
[...] Grundy wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptI have been a member of the Poker Player’s Alliance for a long long time. My member number is 36946. There are almost a million members now. We have done quite a few comics in support of them over the years and I am directly responsible … [...]
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
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July 25th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
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