Poker players across the United States are ganging up to fight the mad crusade of yet another congressman hell-bent on putting a stop to the ‘scourge’ of online poker.

Republican Bob Goodlatte is trying to push a bill through congress that will see online players made virtual outlaws punishable with up to five years in jail.

Thankfully nonprofi t organisation the Poker Players Alliance is dedicated to fighting Goodlatte’s bill and has been averaging a sign-up rate of 400 liberty-loving poker players a day to back their lobbyists in Washington DC.

The Poker Player Alliance argues that Goodlatte wants to trample the rights of poker players, which could lead to the federal government sticking its oar in by banning live poker.

Lawmakers in the US have criticised China for restricting online content to its inhabitants yet the very same ones are campaigning for the same prohibitions.