PPA Coffers Empty as Deadline Approaches

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Friday, March 23rd, 2018 | Written by Stephen Smith

In February, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) posted a tweet stating that it needed to raise $25k before the end of March in order to continue its advocacy efforts. More than a month later, and just $5,265 has been donated so far, meaning that all indications point towards the organization failing to meet its deadline, and possibly ceasing its operation thereafter.

Decision Time

After almost a dozen years representing the interests of the poker community in the US, the PPA will likely have to face some pretty tough decisions on March 31, not least of which is whether it is still seen as relevant by poker players in the country. If the poker community does not value the group enough to ensure its continuation, however, then the PPA will then have to decide whether to fold its operation completely, or else perhaps broaden its base to include sports betting and other internet gambling games in order to improve its fundraising possibilities.

Lack of Funds

In February, John Pappas announced his resignation as the PPA President after being at its helm for the last decade. One of the reasons for his leaving was a substantial reduction in the PPA’s working capital, which subsequently made it increasingly difficult for Pappas to be effective in his role of promoting US poker-related activities.

One of the first duties performed by the new PPA President Rich Muny, who was also the former VP of Player Relations, was to discuss the dire situation in which the group found itself, and to launch a fundraising campaign. Despite all his efforts across online forums and social media, however, his pleas appear to have had very little impact.

No Staff Wages

In fact, the situation has become so bad that there appears to be no money left over in order to pay for travel expenses to poker hearings or discussions, or for conducting any type of necessary research, for that matter. Furthermore, any work currently being carried out by the PPA is being done purely on a volunteer basis, and as Muny explained during an interview with Pokerfuse recently:

“PPA has no paid staff as of January 1 (I am an unpaid volunteer as well), so continued viability is also dependent on continued volunteerism at the leadership ranks and within the poker community.”

The lack of funds has also meant that the PPA has had to cut back on a whole load of essential services which have helped the organization be effect in the past. This includes those which help it to maintain its website, as well as “facilitate emailing lawmakers and sending out email alerts to the poker community”.

For several years, PokerStars was a major contributor of funds to the PPA’s cause, but according to Muny no such donors exist at this time. One of the reasons explaining the poker site’s current lack of interest may be the PPA’s failed efforts to to have online gambling legalized in California, which brought a lot of negative feedback from the poker community which accused the PPA of being in PokerStars’ pockets.

Sports Betting Better Prospects

With just three states having launched online poker industries in 2013, followed by Pennsylvania passing legislation in 2017, the game’s progress has been less than stellar in the US. While poker has waned in popularity and revenues since its heydays in the early 2000’s, other gambling options, such as sports betting, have garnered far more interest over the past few years.

Last month, the PPA then carried out a survey gauging poker players’ level of interest in legalized sports betting, with the majority of its respondents holding favorable views of the issue. This has led the PPA to consider broadening its base and representing the interests of sports bettors, with Muny stating:

“There are no other organized grassroots in the United Stats that advocate for expanded gaming opportunities. PPA is in a unique position to help advance sensible sports betting policy at the state and federal level.”

With New Jersey’s sports betting challenge to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) predicted to yield a positive outcome this summer, however, one wonders just how much advocating would be left for the PPA to perform, especially with so many states having already passed bills of their own in anticipation of a sports betting green light.