Any other players? How much are you out with the siezures ? I had turned 25 into 208
Does anybody think we will ever see that money?
Don
Dear Andy,
Return of Player Funds Update
No issue is more immediate to PPA members and leadership than the return of player funds. The PPA believes, as it has since Black Friday, that while the government has targeted the online poker sites, it is the players who have been the victims.
Thankfully, one affected online poker site has been able to fulfill its obligations. We commend PokerStars for repaying its U.S. players in an efficient and timely manner. It was reported earlier this month that they have returned more than $100 million in players’ accounts. PokerStars continues to be the most popular site for players around the world, no doubt in no small measure due to their fiscal and customer policies.
Unfortunately, the other sites targeted on Black Friday -- Full Tilt Poker, Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker -- have been unable to do the same and their U.S. customers are understandably angry.
Recently (5/30/11), Full Tilt Poker provided an update to players about status of player funds. Regrettably, no specific timeline was provided on return of funds. Full Tilt Poker continues to maintain, as they have to the PPA directly in the past, their intention to refund players in full. As far as we are aware, there have been no recent updates provided by Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker. Each passing day without communication -- or refunds -- increases harm to the players.
Currently there exists no legal or civil authority by which the PPA could force or require that players be paid immediately. The PPA does, however, have an obligation to represent our membership of over 1.2 million U.S. poker players and we again publicly call on Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet to fulfill their promises to allow U.S. players to cash out their account balances and to do so sooner rather than later, despite what difficulties may exist. Players relied on assurances by these sites that their money would be safe and these sites must honor their commitments to the players. The immediate return of U.S. player funds must be the top priority of all the parties involved.
We will continue to press these poker sites for concrete responses which we can pass on to our members in the very near future.
PPA Fly-In Follow Up
Last week the PPA and a team of our State Directors and poker advocates came to Washington DC to lobby for Internet poker regulation. We met with more than 130 Congressional offices and helped educate lawmakers and their staff about the benefits of regulation. We also heard from some of our supporters at a rally held on the Capitol Lawn. At the rally Representative John Campbell (R-CA), who is the lead sponsor of HR 1174, stressed the importance of the poker community contacting their members of Congress. He says that lawmakers need to hear that their constituents and that we must make our voices heard. Click here to hear what Congressman Campbell had to say about poker player advocacy.
If you have not already sent a letter to your lawmaker asking that they support your poker freedoms, you must do so TODAY. Click the button below and in 60 seconds you can email your Representative and two Senators:
Proud to play,
Senator Alfonse D’Amato
PPA Chairman
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The PPA wishes to keep active members like yourself updated on the latest poker advocacy news by periodically sending out select events and headlines. We hope you find it informative and thank you for your continuing support.
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Headlines:
Joe Barton Introducing Online Poker Bill in U.S. - PocketFives.com (05/26/2011)
Online poker bill pitched to Bono Mack - MyDesert.com (05/29/2011)
Senate OKs measure to give Nevada boost in online poker - The Las Vegas Sun (05/30/2011)
Online poker's transition hand - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (05/31/2011)
World Series of Poker starts in Las Vegas - Seattle Post-Intelligencer (05/31/2011)
Shutting down online poker invades privacy, destroys jobs - Baltimore Sun (06/01/2011)
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