Letter: Online gambling bill strikes at a hobby

Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006 | 7:28 a.m.

Last Sunday the Las Vegas Sun contained a story by Liz Benston and a column by Jeff Simpson dealing with the subject of the ban on online gambling, specifically poker. In my opinion, this legislation is politics at its dirtiest.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist introduced the ban as a rider on a port security bill, one which he knew it would be difficult to vote against. He also introduced the bill at the 11th hour, when Congress was tired and people wanted to go home for their election campaigning. He obviously had a personal agenda - he knew he would have had a hard time passing the legislation on its own merit.

I do not believe the majority of online poker players in Nevada, and elsewhere, play for an occupation. Of course we all hope to win, but we are not all card sharks. There are millions of players in the USA and my guess is most are like me. I play the $6 tournaments while I cook dinner, fold laundry and watch T.V.

Sometimes I play the $1 (yes, I said one dollar) multitable tournaments and chat with people all over the world. My budget is $50-$100 per month, and for this I get many, many hours of enjoyment and entertainment. And I am being labeled a criminal?

Certainly poker has luck involved, but also skill. I don't consider it gambling in the legal sense. It is my hobby and keeps my senior brain exercised. I deeply resent that soon I will be able to buy all the pornography I want online, but not play my favorite card game for money. This is not politics for the people, but an individual using his power to ram his own values down the throat of the American people.

Pam Ford, Henderson