PPA Avoids Potential Legal Issue

The last organization that would ever want to come remotely close to a gambling related legal problem is the Poker Players Alliance.  It turned out that, by virtue of a mistake on its website, the PPA might have run the risk of just that sort of trouble.

The PPA recently launched a revamped website, which included a new sweepstakes in which it was awarding a seat to the Main Event of the 2008 World Series of Poker, which begins in July.  To enter the contest, one had to become a paid member of the PPA (the PPA does allow people to otherwise join the organization without paying) and then make a purchase through the “PPA Advantages” page.  Sounded easy enough.

But the problem with that sweepstakes was it required a monetary outlay by the participant.  As such, it very well may have qualified as an illegal lottery in most states.  Fortunately, the PPA did intend to offer a “no purchase required” option – it simply forgot to post the official rules of the promotion, which included this option.

Those who do not wish to pay any money for the chance to win the WSOP seat can send a 3x5 index card with their personal information (see the PPA site for details) to the PPA.  These index card entries will count just the same as the paid entries.