December 11, 2006 -- WASHINGTONÂ - Angry
poker players have beaten the house, helping topple a congressman who pushed through an
Internet gambling ban.They were furious when Congress enacted the ban - which included
online poker - over the objections of a poker organization, which considers it a game of skill.
The
Poker Players Alliance last month set its sights on Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa), who steered the ban through the House. Leach, a longtime incumbent, ended up being one of the most unexpected casualties of the midterm elections, losing by 3 percentage points.