A card-playing Harvard Law professor and his poker-crazy students will stage a protest today outside the State House rallying against Gov. Deval Patrick抯 casino plan.

But while most opponents, ranging from church leaders to social activists, will be warning of the perils of expanded gambling, the Harvard group will be arguing there is not nearly enough.

In particular, the newly formed Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society is targeting a provision in the governor抯 bill that Massachusetts residents caught gambling online would face up to two years in jail and a fine of as much as $25,000.

Harvard Law School professor Charles Nesson, an avid player who formed the Harvard poker society, plans to testify today at a State House hearing on Patrick抯 casino bill. The Harvard group contends that as many as 400,000 Massachusetts residents play poker online.

揑 don抰 think filling our expensive jail cells with poker players is what Massachusetts voters had in mind when they elected Deval Patrick,?Nesson said in a statement.

Source:http://www.casinonews.org/