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It’s time for some straight talk. In a story last week about online poker, The Washington Post debated the merits of Prohibition vs. Regulation. That’s an easy one. Sensible federal regulation is the only way to protect the millions of Americans who play Internet poker every day. We can’t guarantee every online company will play by the rules. But we’re certain good laws will deter and punish those that don’t. For too long, the federal government has abdicated this responsibility. It wrongly believes censoring the Internet and prohibition will work. This does nothing to protect consumers. What it does is limit our personal freedoms and drives players underground or overseas. Worse, billions of dollars that could be raised from regulation are lost. And in this economy, every nickel counts. Fortunately, Congress is working to pass legislation that will punish bad actors, guard against player fraud, protect children, and help problem gamblers. On behalf of our million members, the Poker Players Alliance calls on our Congressional leaders to support these efforts and preserve a national pastime. No matter how you cut the deck, regulation is the answer. www.theppa.org Paid for by The Poker Players Alliance.