Online gambling operators, shareholders, poker players, sports bettors/punters, media: These groups and any others dependent on the i-Gaming industry must support the Poker Players Alliance Washington DC initiative this coming October 22 thru October 24. Gambling911.com will be covering this event.

Sue Schneider, one of the co-organizers of this year's i-Gaming Expo and Congress in Barcelona urged attendees to make it to Washington DC during these dates. Sadly, few in attendance seemed overly responsive. I also made the same plea. My suggestion: Send someone....send anyone, even if it's your 86 year old grandmother. There is no excuse for an online gambling establishment not to have a representative there, and this includes gaming firms out of Europe who seem more concerned about their shareholders than anyone else. If that's the case, they owe this to their shareholders.

Here is the perfect opportunity for the online gambling community to make its voice heard. Unfortunately, there are just too many people who would prefer to sit back and watch things unfold. That is not the answer!

I am reading on various poker forums that "So and So" can't make it those dates. My answer to them: Do you have a friend who lives in or near Washington, DC that you can pay to attend on your behalf at least for parts of the conference?

The PPA has now welcomed Gambling911.com to cover the event. A huge turnout will raise eyebrows. There is power in numbers. A small turnout and limited press will be laughed at. To keep the pressure on, the Poker Players Alliance will host a major Policy Conference in Washington on October 22-24. During this time you will have a chance to meet with Members of Congress who will vote on this important issue, and mingle with many of the best poker players and pros from across the United States, including: Andy Bloch, Chad Brown, Barry Greenstein, Howard Lederer, Chris Moneymaker, Vanessa Rousso and Victor Ramdin.

In addition to a great conference, they will schedule a meeting with your Member of Congress and work with you to make sure they get the message that poker is a game of skill and that reasonable regulation is the best policy approach to Internet gaming. Of course you don't have to meet with anybody if you don't want to. Simply show up and make your presence count.

Here are some of our planned events:

Welcome Reception - 6:30pm, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Oct. 22

"How to Lobby Congress" Breakfast - 8:30am, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Oct. 23

Member of Congress/Staff Meetings - TBD, Oct. 23 and 24, U.S. Capitol Complex

Capitol Hill Reception - Evening, Oct. 23

Policy Forum - morning, Oct. 24, U.S. Capitol Complex Invited speakers include: Charlie Nesson, Professor, Harvard Law; Sallie James, Policy Analyst, Cato Institute; Keith Whyte, Executive Director, Nat'l Council on Problem Gambling; and other experts in the field of public policy and law.

COURTESY OF Tony George's good friend and editor of Gambling 911....Christopher Costigan, www.Gambling911.com ** Check out this informative gaming site for all the news important to the on-line gaming community!