Wake Up And Act Now!

[Integrity]

Hello all... how's everyone been?

Wish this was a "friendly" visit, but it's not =0(

We are about to get broadsided, and it may be the end of our livelyhood.

Rep Bob Goodlatte is about to outlaw all online gambling... and his bill will be devestating to us. If we do not do something we will all be out of business soon! Not in a year... in a month or two if this passes!

For the love of all that's holy, people, if this is all you do, WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN TODAY.

Here's the link: http://www.house.gov/writerep/

It's so so simple... I'll even give you a form letter and you can change it as you like and sign your name :

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Dear Rep. ________________,

I am writing you to let you know that one of your constituent, Rep Bob Goodlatte, has introduced a bill (HR 4777) that is unequalled it it's hypocrisy, lies, and discrimination of an industry.

His proposal to ban online gambling is riddled with lies, half-truths, and paranoid suspicions. This industry does not target children and it never has. This industry is not filled with criminals but honest hard working men and women of integrity. This industry does not hurt individuals or their families, but supports patriotic Americans who helped vote you into office.

There are millions of American citizens across this great country who enjoy playing a $20 game of poker online, or spending $50 at an online slot machine, and do so responsibly with no harm to themselves or their families. Goodlatte proposes to penalize these millions of responsible tax-payers by a distorted view of the facts, and by twisting statistics to fit his own moral agenda.

The American people do not support this bill, and I am holding you responsible to make my voice heard on this! The online gaming industry is LEGAL and REGULATED within the United Kingdom! It is accepted and run from other civilized countries around the globe, and the real issue here is MONEY... everything else is smoke and mirrors to support Goodlatte's pursuit of this money.

The online gambling industry did NOT grow to a $12 billion a year business by HURTING people. That $12 billion did NOT come from targeting minors! It came from a dedication to customer service and an HONEST business model. The competition is too great to act unethically, and the rewards are too great to operate dishonestly. In fact, with all the SELF-REGULATION that goes on inside this industry, I dare say we have less dirty laundry that the Congress with which you serve.

Goodlatte has failed to research this subject completely. He has failed to realize the potential of this industry. And he has failed to recognize the will of the American people. I implore you to act before he casts this great nation back into the dark ages of prohibition... which we know does not work.

If you pass this legislation, you will be equally responsible for yet another "war" against your own people. One that will wage for years, and one where honest, responsible, tax paying, patriotic American citizens will be persecuted and prosecuted for an act of recreation which they should have a right to enjoy in the privacy of their own homes.

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[bigbcasinos]

Hey Mr Integrity How are you?

I don't think this is making a mountain out of a molehill. I read that some ISP's ran a trial where they filtered out all gambling sites. Imagine that, in the land of the free, and ISP is ordered to ensure that the "free" people can only view what they (the government) decide they can view. Free? Not a chance.

OK, I guess porn is an untouchable, that would freak out far too many people. Bugger the fact that it's access is far easier that gambling. FOrget the damage that porn can do to the lives of minors. So they decide online gambling is the answer. Too bad they never went to a conference and met the owners of casinos. Terrorists? Naaah, they're worse I guess! They are capitalists who are willing to put their own money at risk to make money too. Most of them that I met have despicable working hours too. Ugggh, they WORK for a living and KEEP what they make. Not like them to send it to a terrorist. Maybe the government are jealous that they never got down to regulating the industry. They could be making a packet in taxes if they did. I even heard a rumour that some casino operators would welcome regulation!! The very idea!!! An honest industry? I guess only honest and true people can recognise honesty itself.

Instead we see a bill that purports to protect the American people from activities that are used to finance terrorism. They claim that it's open to abuse by minors. Of course, the affiliates have seen the new customer ratios take a dive because the casinos were phoning depositors to verify that they indeed used their own credit card to deposit and that it wasn't their delinquant son or daughter LOL. The industry is trying to self regulate. What a waste of time. The politicians have certainly not even had a vague look at the real issues and what has been done.

I would believe it is time for an appropriate party to challenge Mr Goodlatte to expose the terror financing activities. I am involved in this industry and I truly don't want to finance a terrorist or make money off of one. You know, I very much doubt that Mr Goodlatte has any proof at all.

What a travesty if this bill goes through.

I would agree that each affiliate should write their congressman. However, I also think that a well spoken and presentable affiliate (there must be one out there LOL) should approach the likes of Oprah or similar figure and have a full blown discussion. I don't think our industry would come off worst in an honest and well moderated debate. I think the real loser would be Goodlatte and his bill full of holes.

[casinoglen]

Well, I'm not sure how much of an impact would or would not be made, but Matt and I are talking with some guys who do a radio show in the area ( VA, MD, PA, DE and Washington DC) which is in Mr. Goodlattes own back yard so to speak.

The listener base is 20 and 30 somethings and the guys running this show love online poker. They have already been hammering on it somewhat around here on 2 stations. They took over Sterns timeslot on the participating stations.
xxxhttp://www.junkiesradio.com (standard remove the x's deal)

What we're trying to do is get it on the radio about us, the webmasters, as well as the programs involved, the impact on the loss of jobs, etc.

I will be "skimming" information from some key posts made both in the private an public forums of GPWA, so input on this would be of great value to me.

I'm not sure that it would make so much of an impact on its own, but if people were to do this across the nation, from both the players arena, and the marketing arena then we could get our voices heard. Perhaps it will start a viral type effort.

[dhayman]

Good letter, and I sent to my Congressman.

I found some good links that can be used on your radio broadcast, and I posted them in this thread:

http://www.casinoaffiliateprograms.c...ay.10149.html?

Feel free to use this information for further argument.

If your radio show is simulcast on the Internet, please provide link, date and time.

Regards,

Doug

[Integrity]

Hey guys & gals...

Glad to see some positive feedback here... all I got at the Casinomeister forum was "you have a type-o"... That's all they really took away from the letter, it seems.

Anything you guys can do to impact Congress, educate the public, or expose the truth the better... you have my backing 110%.

I'm ready to take the fight to them on this one.

[mariannalee]

You would think they had enough to do with all the ills and wrongs in the world and just maybe if they would consentrate on a few and follow through instead of using all the "issues" for their campaign headlines...some good might actually be done!!
Isn't it funny how no one has issues with all the daily and weekly lotteries and the millions of dollars of scratch off tickets they sell in the name of education ( which we all know just gets shifted from that fund into the ones they want)!!
There are bars on every street corner that effect more lives and causes more deaths, along with guns and drugs, child abuse and so many issues that their energies should be spent on...
If they could get their hands on a " piece of the action" there wouldn't be any issue here at all........." ya wanna bet?? "

[ntaus]

Anyone got any suggestions.

I don't know - I'm in a real bind...

Not only am I NOT an American citizen living in the US but also I live in Florida which is one of the only two holdout states not allowing gambling.

Would there be any point in writing to Jeb Bush - State Governor - who is already rabid on the subject

Universal4 - is there anything we should do to help?

ntaus

[Tony]

I would like to help but I can't, I'm not in the US is it any other way we can all help?
The problem is the online Casinos take costumers away from the land base casinos I read an article some where some land based casinos lost 50% in business because of the online casinos.
So I have a message for the land based casinos start your own online casinos and I'll put your bunners in my site.

[insane99994]

The U.S. Government hates to see billions of dollars being pump out of the U.S., into other countries due to online gambling. Gambling Online doesn't harm anyone and it provides Americans, along with all other participating Nationalities, a form of recreation that is enjoyed by the masses. If they ban online gambling in the U.S., they will take a lot of heat from it. I'm from the U.S. and I promote gambling and I also take part in it, just like most of the members in this G.P.W.A.
My opinion is, if it is such a problem for the government, Why don't they put a tax on online gambling instead of banning it and/or why not legalize gambling across the entire U.S.? Then, start using some of that technology by building their own, online gambling industries and try to compete with the other countries. Easier said than done, but that is my opinion. Bottom line is, the majority of the population is dead against it and hopefully that bill won't pass. Hey webmasters, they haven't banned the adult industry yet!

[tnewman]

Hello All,

Casino Watchdogs is here to help and do what is needed. I have written my representative and I hope you all do the same. It is VERY important that every one write in. A short custom letter is what works the best.

When people write into their representatives, you will be representing much more than just yourself. The representatives figure that each person who writes in represents more than 100,000 people's viewpoints. That is power!

Travis Newman
Casino Watchdogs
http://www.casinowatchdogs.com