POKER PLAYERS ALLIANCE TOPS 500 000 MEMBER MARK

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Experienced government liaison staffer now on board, and bossman D'Amato aims for a million players

The Poker Players' Alliance, a US pressure group advocating the legalisation of online poker, celebrated an important milestone this week when membership topped the 500 000 mark.

Recognising the need for full-time hands-on management, the organisation has hired an experienced US staffer in its Washington DC office. John Pappas has been appointed vice president of government relations and told Casino City writer Aaron Todd: "It's another step in the growth and evolution of this organization. It's good to have a full-time person in Washington whose only interest is in ensuring that the interests of the Poker Players Alliance and its members are being met."

Pappas has the right qualifications and contacts for the job. A consultant for Dittus Communications, he has worked with the PPA since its inception two years ago. Prior to working for Dittus, he spent six years doing public relations and press secretary work for Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.), and he still has many connections on Capitol Hill.

The PPA has come a long way since Pappas first started working with the group, reports Casino City. He described the initial months following the launch of the PPA as frustrating as interest was "languid."

"I guess it's a double-edged sword, but the reason the organization took off is Congressman Goodlatte introduced his Internet gambling prohibition bill and people started to recognize that this was a very serious threat," he told Todd.

The PPA has seen membership grow more than 400 percent in less than three months since former Senator Alfonse D'Amato became chairman of the organisation. D'Amato has stated that he would like to increase membership to over a million in the coming months.

"He has an aggressive timeline," Pappas said. "I think it's reachable. We're going to see some very exciting things happening in the next few weeks. Hopefully (House Financial Services Committee Chairman) Barney Frank will be holding a hearing in the next few weeks, and it's very likely that another member of Congress will be introducing legislation in this area that talks specifically about skill game exemptions including poker, bridge, chess, etc."

Pappas will be coordinating lobbying and grassroots efforts in Washington D.C. as well as educating Congressmen and staffers on the Hill on the issues surrounding poker.