The White House receives tens of thousands of letters every year requesting a response and support of one kind or another. Such was the case several weeks ago when a petition was sent to the White House that was signed by US online poker players begging the current administration to offer their support in favor of legalized online poker play in the US. The petition was entitled “We the People”, and basically demanded changes in the current federal legislation which make it incredibly difficult, if not impossible, for the millions of Americans who love playing online poker to play their favorite game.

Obviously, this is just a first step by the We the People organizers, and no one on board expected an immediate response backing their position. They did believe however that with many states pushing aggressively to pass statewide recognized legal online gaming, and Nevada already allowing for legalized online gaming in their state, that their voices needed to be heard. Well, their voices evidently were heard, and a response was recently given by the White House administration. While no outright support for federally recognized and legislated legalize online gaming was given, the White House made certain not to shut the door on the possibility of future, far-reaching changes.

One particular portion of the answer to the We the People poker petition that the White House responded with showed a clear understanding by the White House that a substantial number of American citizens enjoy playing “paid online poker games for entertainment purposes.” They also went on to state that online gambling on any type of sporting contests or events is a direct violation of federal law, and that the legality of other types of online gaming and gambling is up to each individual state to regulate. They also reiterated their federal position by pointing out that “online gambling that is not authorized by state law may also violate federal statutes.”

Current federal legislation that is in place now came about in 2006 with the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). That act pointed to the “rapid and anonymous nature of the Internet” as posing distinct and significant challenges for regulating online gaming. However, the final part of the White House response leads some significant hope to those online poker players located in the United States who want federal backing for regulated and legalized online gambling. That part of the response stated that the current administration will continue to look into the issue in the future, and is open to any answers or solutions that would curtail illegal activities and allow for a safe online gambling experience.

If the thought of the White House supporting any type of gambling activity seems far-fetched, you need only look at Tricky Dick and his love of poker. Richard Milhouse Nixon, the 37th president of the United States, was taught by his bunkmates how to play poker when he was enlisted in the Navy during World War II. He became such a successful poker player that he actually turned down the opportunity to dine with the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh once because it conflicted with a poker game. While in the Navy, he built up a $6,000 payroll playing poker, which he used to help finance his first congressional campaign. We can only hope that the 2012 presidential election delivers such poker favorable results, regardless who wins.

As we wait for the White House to get completely on board, there are a number of USA friendly poker rooms that are available to visit.  Learn more about them and their juicy bonus offers with these poker site reviews at ThePokerGrind.com.