Poker Players Alliance Gets New Lease On Life

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) has been through a rough patch in 2018 and was on the brink of shutting down. Things have changed for the biggest and oldest poker advocacy groups in the US as the organization will look to make a fresh start under a new brand name – ‘Poker Alliance‘.

The PPA had a large member database and a 13-year-long career of fighting for and defending poker and the rights of poker players.

In February, long-time PPA President John Pappas resigned from his post and rumours circulated that the PPA was struggling for finances. Rich Muny replaced Pappas and confirmed that the PPA was indeed short of funds and the organization called on poker players to help out financially.

That did not revoke a good response from poker players who felt that the PPA campaigned more for companies such as PokerStars and rarely had their best interests at heart. That damp response was a bitter pill to swallow and many expected the PPA to wind up as the organization kept a rather low profile in the last month and a half.

PPA Will Rebrand To Poker Alliance

However, the PPA is not going out of business as the organization announced this week that they will go through a rebranding process.

The new brand name will be ‘Poker Alliance’ and with it comes the appointment of new leadership in Mark Brenner. The new Poker Alliance states they will build on the relationships that the PPA had with policymakers, industry partners, and the media to continue advocating for states’ rights and consumer protection in the context of online gaming and poker.

In a statement, Brenner said,

As gaming culture and the laws around it have shifted, so too has our focus. Poker players deserve to be able to play poker with confidence and safety, and we will expand the PPA’s incredible effort by strategically advocating for our members.

The Poker Alliance will continue to push for the legalization of online poker, amidst the recent developments in US legislation such as the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) and the merging of New Jersey’s poker pools with Nevada-Delaware.

One of the biggest changes to the Poker Alliance will be in its funding structure. The organization will no longer rely on membership donations but will focus on raising funds from industry participants such as casinos, hotels and gaming operators.