Minnesota tries to Block Gambling Websites; PPA Releases Statement

An announcement was recently made by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety to try and block state citizens from playing on commercial gambling websites, which includes poker sites. The Minnesota state director of the Poker Players Alliance, Matt Werden issued a statement on the move by the state.

"This isn't simply a heavy-handed tactic by the government; this is a clear misrepresentation of federal law, as well as Minnesota law, used in an unprecedented way to try and censor the Internet. I don't know what U.S. Code they're reading, but it is not illegal to play this great American pastime online, and we're calling their bluff.

"The fact is, online poker is not illegal, it's not criminal, and it cannot be forcibly blocked by a state authority looking to score some political points. What are they going to do when this fails, ban poker books and burn our players at the stake?

Werden went on to say that you could expect something like this from communist China but not in Minnesota. He also stated that groups like Poker Players Alliance are here to protect the rights of poker players and set the record straight on what needs to be done. He also commented that it is about more than just protecting poker that it is about “keeping the internet free of censorship and ensuring that law abiding citizens can enjoy a game of Texas Hold’em in the comfort of their own home, whether it’s only or with a group of friends.”