In March 2013, Greg Raymer was busted in a North Carolina prostitution sting that not only tarnished his reputation, but also saw him step away from the Poker Players Alliance (PPA). And this was definitely a blow for poker because Raymer did an excellent job of fighting for US online poker players’ rights. But there’s good news now: Raymer is back on the PPA board of directors again.
Rich Muny, VP of Player Relations for the PPA, is definitely excited about having Raymer back. “We at PPA are proud to welcome 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg Raymer back to the PPA Board of Directors,” said Muny. “Greg has been a tremendous advocate for the game and for the right to play it in all its forms (online, cardrooms, casino poker rooms, home games, etc.) for over a decade.”
Impact on iPoker Regulation Efforts
Having Raymer back in the PPA’s corner is definitely a good thing for US online poker. After all, Raymer was one of the most-visible members of the board, spreading the message of iPoker legalization whenever he could. Furthermore, he has one of the more camera-friendly personalities out of any poker advocate.
Beyond this, the 50-year-old is a pro’s pro, having continued his successful career long after the 2004 Main Event victory. Most notably, he won four Heartland Poker Tour titles in just a five-month span in 2012. Raymer also finished third in the 2009 WSOP $40k NLHE event ($774,927) and took 25th in the 2005 Main Event ($304,680). Given his excellent poker results, Raymer can boast of his own accomplishments when fighting for iPoker.
Expect a Low Blow from Sheldon Adelson
As many of you may know, Las Vegas Sands owner Sheldon Adelson has been smearing iGaming with a malicious campaign, while also touting his Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA) – a bill designed to make online gaming illegal on a federal level. He’s also rolled out a couple of phony surveys that have no credibility and used images of young children playing online casino games to further his agenda.
That said, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Adelson bring up Raymer’s past, assuming he feels the need to discredit the PPA. Thankfully, Adelson is already doing a good job of discrediting himself with all the wild accusations that he’s made about online gambling addiction and his lack of evidence.