The Poker Players Alliance issued a statement concerning the huge online poker cheating controversy that has been ripping through the hearts of Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker for several months now. The controversy is continuing to heat up discussions across major poker message boards.
The Chairman of the PPA, former senator Alfonse D’Amato commented this week that one of the responsibilities of the Alliance is to protect poker players from misguided and vague laws and to help establish licensed and regulated online poker in the United States.
The Poker Players Alliance has felt obligated to speak out when their mission is to legalize online poker in the United States by actions which present online poker in a negative light, according to D’Amato.
“Trust is paramount in poker,” D’Amato asserted. “Sadly, this foundation has been undercut by admissions from two well-known online poker companies, Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet, that cheating has occurred on their poker sites.
“The Poker Players Alliance condemns any and all cheating in poker no matter the forum in which it is played. Because of the current legal uncertainties and the lack of federal regulation and oversight [in the United States], it is especially troubling when cheating occurs in online poker.”
D’Amato also said that the regulatory situation in America has resulted in an atmosphere where it is proving to be difficult for a proper investigation into these types of allegations to be conducted. So consequently the Alliance is urging Absolute and UltimateBet and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission regulating authority, to provide a full accounting of the breaches of public trust to help dispel the negative light cast on the industry.
The spokesman for the PPA said that the KGC had investigated reports of a security breach on both the UltimateBet and Absolute Poker sites. It was found at both sites that a breach in security had resulted in certain accounts having an unfair advantage at the poker tables.
“These recent cheating scandals underscore the need for U.S. licensing and regulation of online poker to help protect consumers,” D’Amato continued. “While even the most highly regulated industries are susceptible to fraud and abuse, regulation does provide assurances that when consumers are harmed they have recourse.
“These scandals will not and should not be the demise of a responsible government approach to Internet poker. Instead, this can be the pathway to understanding that regulation is the key to protecting citizens and the future of America’s card game.”
Both Absolute Poker and UltimateBet have issued statements on the cheating scandal, as has the KGC in fining Absolute Poker $500,000 dollars and censuring the company. But the overall opinion in the player community appears to be that full disclosure on those involved has not yet been delivered, and various online poker message board detective teams continue to probe the issue.
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