Players bracing for the unknown effects of next month’s scheduled implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), have been online lately discussing possible ways to give voice to their frustrations and feelings on this controversial new law, and some on the popular forum TwoPlusTwo, have come up with an interesting idea.

“Pledge to Play on June 1,” is the tentative name for an unusual style of protest being discussed around the internet, where it is thought that players could attempt to show lawmakers and non-players in general, that this new law will ultimately fail, by having the day of its implementation turn out, not to be the death blow of online poker, but instead online poker’s biggest day ever.
 
Though most interpretations of the UIGEA seem to agree that this new law will not make anything new illegal for players that wasn’t already so, there is still little doubt that the law’s implementation could have a drastic effect on the online poker industry.  Not only has the UIGEA been widely misinterpreted by the mainstream media as some sort of online poker ban- a mistake that’s bound to be perpetuated when the law makes headlines again next month- but the law will almost certainly make depositing and withdrawing funds from online accounts significantly more difficult for the casual player than it already was, when banks are forced to interpret the notoriously vague law in the most general way possible so as to not risk fines.

So would a million player march to the virtual felt on June 1st- so to speak- really have any effect on lawmakers in Washington?  The answer to that question is unclear and is currently being widely debated on the forums- and not always in the politest of terms- but what is clear is that there are a lot of angry players out there eager to try something, anything, to help stop an activity that they enjoy from being further strangled by outsiders, that just don’t seem to understand it.

To join in the discussion visit the TwoPlusTwo “Pledge to Play on June 1,” Forum thread, or for further details on the UIGEA deadline, check out the Poker Players Alliance website- poker’s leading grassroots advocacy group.