According to the Poker Players Alliance website the third most watched sport on cable television is poker. It trails right behind auto racing and football. Auto racing? Watching a bunch of cars speeding around a track is more exciting than watching poker? If you read my column regularly you know how much I love cars (I'm completely addicted to Top Gear and 5th Gear) but even I don't think watching cars going around the track is particularly fascinating. I think Poker should be pissed.

I was planning on writing about the Poker Player Alliance today from an industry standpoint. I started doing my research last night by looking up their president, Michael Bocerek. He's been vocal lately regarding the anti-internet gambling legislation currently in the Senate. Last July the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4411, legislation which would make internet gambling illegal and would ban people from depositing in an online gambling establishment through direct deposit, online check, or credit card. Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D. from Tennessee has been trying to find a cheap and easy way to get an equivalent version of that bill through the Senate before the early end of year break for elections, which is the end of next week.

While doing my research I found his personal website and his email. I wrote to Michael and asked if he would be open to an interview, and fortunately for us he was.

For those of you who aren't familiar with his background, it is impressive. From the Poker Players Alliance website:

"Michael R. Bolcerek has over 20 years of management experience in the tech industry with both large companies and start-up firms. He has held top positions such as President, COO, and CFO for companies such as Oracle, NeXT Computer Inc., Nokia Display Products, MongoMusic, and Liquid Audio where he raised public and private capital, managed investor relations, assisted with mergers and acquisitions, supervised SEC reporting, and oversaw corporate operations. His most recent position was the founder and head executive of BionTTech, a homeland security start-up company. Mr. Bolcerek is a graduate of Brown University, with a BA in Economics."

"Michael background in finance and economics was the catalyst for his appreciation of poker as a game of skill. He enjoys playing poker with his wife and has weekly games with friends. He is firmly committed to protecting the rights of poker players so they can continue to enjoy the game as they do today."

GF: How did you get connected with the Poker Players Alliance?
Michael: I have been an avid home player for over 10 years. I was initially interested in the PPA’s stance on charitable poker, but quickly shifted to protecting the rights of on-line players from federal legislation aimed at banning their ability to play this great game on-line.

GF: Why do you think Congress cares about online gambling?
Michael: I think that it is a complicated issue for them, and the rise of on-line gambling including poker playing is a difficult issue. Accordingly, they have taken a broad brush approach in trying to legislate morals, without evaluating the merits of a regulatory approach to the game of on-line poker. The Poker Players Alliance believes that if you want to protect the family, the best way is to establish safeguards that ensure that children are not playing poker on-line, or that problem gamblers are helped is the best approach. Prohibition does nothing in this way.

GF: Do you think Senator Frist will find a way to bring the anti-internet legislation through before the early end of session?
Michael: While concerned by Senator Frist’s newfound interest in this issue, that if the Senate acts in its role of guarding the public trust, that at least this legislation should be required to stand and be debated on its own merits. To attach it to other legislation and sneak a controversial issue aboard more important legislation would be a disservice to the American citizen.

GF: What about after the elections before the start of the new session?
Michael: It will be a very interesting mid-term election. We are asking for poker players to support those members who opposed this legislation or those who supported a bi-partisan legislation proposed by Rep. Porter, and Rep. Berkley that calls for a Congressional Study of Internet Gaming with an eye toward regulation.

GF: Assuming that the anti-internet legislation does not go through, what are the Poker Players Alliance plans?
Michael: This issue will not go away. Our plans are to build our membership and voice in the US so that in the lame duck session or in the new session we are prepared to define the debate and not just play defense.

GF: And if it does go through?
Michael: We are focused on defeating this legislation, period.

GF: What would you like to see happen?
Michael: The PPA would like to see the on-line version of Poker affirmatively legalized, licensed and regulated in the United States. This is the best solution for the federal government, American citizens, and poker players.

GF: If the industry becomes regulated how will the Poker Players Alliance change?
Michael: We will focus more on the State Level, either in support of Charitable Gaming, Poker Leagues, or Internet related poker legislation on a State level.

GF: Do you think Jim Kasper will ever succeed in his desire to legalize online poker in North Dakota?
Michael: We are entirely in support of Jim Kasper in North Dakota, and hope that he is successful in creating a model that other states can follow.

GF: I saw on pokerplayersalliance.com you plan on hosting events soon. Any news on that? Do you have any plans to co-host any online tournaments?
Michael: We are looking at charitable events, in legal venues to raise money for valuable causes.

GF: Anything else you would like to people to know about?
Michael: Politics is about numbers. We represent over 110,000 members, but need to be 1 Million strong. The Poker Players Alliance encourages poker players to get involved politically, join the PPA , and be a part of the Poker Players Alliance. Our website is: www.pokerplayersalliance.org

Posted on: September 27, 2006

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