UPDATE -- John Pappas, spokesman for the Poker Players' Alliance, vigorously denies Pokerhelper's story. There is no such bonus in store for D'Amato or anyone else involving the legislation, he said.
Former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato -- who's been known to play a few hands with friends, associates and lobbyists -- became a leading advocate for on-line poker, as our Reid J. Epstein first reported last month.
Now comes word from our friends at pokerhelper.com that D'Amato's in line for a $5 million bonus if he succeeds in getting online poker "carved out" of legislation that cracks down on online gambling.