White House Finally Answers on Poker Petition

Charade You Are

Charade You Are

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Took them 8 months to answer the petition.

Email I received 2 days ago. No surprises here. Only continues the frustration.

What We Have to Say About Online Poker

By Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council

Thank you for taking the time to participate in the "We the People" petition process. We launched this online tool as a way of hearing directly from you, and are pleased to see that it has been effective in soliciting your feedback. We understand your interest in the petition to support the legalization of online poker, and appreciate the opportunity to share President Obama's concerns about this issue.

The Administration understands that many Americans engage in paid online poker games for entertainment purposes. Online gambling on sporting events or contests violates federal law. The legality of other forms of online gambling is dependent upon the law of the states where the bettor or gambling business is located. It is left to each state to determine whether it wishes to permit such activity between its residents and an online poker business authorized by that state to accept such wagers, but online gambling that is not authorized by state law may also violate federal statutes.

The rapid and anonymous nature of the internet distinguishes online games from onsite games, such as those in casinos, and creates distinct challenges. For example, there are many means of technologically circumventing restrictions on online gambling that can allow individuals from countries where gambling is illegal -- or even minors -- to play using real currency. Online games also have greater potential for fraud because gambling websites are much cheaper and easier to establish than on-site locations, and like telemarketing scams, can appear and disappear overnight. Finally, online gambling can be used in money laundering schemes because of the volume, speed, anonymity, and international reach made possible by internet transactions. The Administration will continue to examine this issue and is open to solutions that would help guard against the use of online gambling sites as tools for conducting illegal activities or preying on unsuspecting individuals to the extent that online gambling is permitted.

Thank you once again for signing the online petition. We appreciate hearing your opinions and look forward to hearing from you again soon.
 
Charade You Are

Charade You Are

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The email requested feedback on the petition process in general. This was mine:

Petitions were a good idea. Unfortunately, all the responses I have received were the typical answers we always get from politicians. Which is basically, thank you for your response but we have already made up our minds and are invested in the status quo no matter what the people want.
 
Kenzie 96

Kenzie 96

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At least no trees were needlessly slaughtered.
 
Charade You Are

Charade You Are

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At least no trees were needlessly slaughtered.

But taxpayer dollars were.

Here's the news story courtesy of tbdbitl:

http://www.anteupmagazine.com/news/white-house-responds-to-we-the-people-petition-on-online-pok.htm

partial:
To the petition's actual message that regulation of online poker would allow the U.S. to safeguard against such issues while offering consumer protection, creating jobs and raising billions of dollars in revenue, the response said nothing.

Optimists had hoped that the long wait -- nearly all other early petitions had received a response -- was due to the administration crafting a thoughtful reply. After most of the initial set of responses to various petitions failed to address their content, a petition was created with the title "Actually take these petitions seriously instead of just using them as an excuse to pretend you are listening."

I need to find that petition!.
 
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kyrow

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We are suppose to be the Land of the Free. I say Prove it and let me play poker online, its my right and my choice. I am an American for freedom!
 
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LarryT503

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So typical of the nanny state in which we live. We can always count on our elected officials to protect us from ourselves, no matter the cost to our personal freedom.
 
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BFPRyan

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Obviously by "answered" they didn't answer anything... standard.
 
imafin

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You think this is bad, wait until, if ever, they legalize poker online. Gov. always seems to make the easy hard, they could turn a lifetime long twinkie into a rotten pile of mush.

I've had this battle with several players in the past that keep clicking their heels in hopes that the gov. will see it their way.

You may end up with, few options, too high of stakes and or rakes. For instance California indian casinos in the south part of the state have huge minimums sometimes starting at $25 per blackjack hand.

For some of you thats fine but joe and jane pokermann in a whole wont play those high stakes. Another big problem is politicians greed, dont be surprised to see $10 minimum tournaments with a 2 or even 2.50 fee.
 
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Big_Rudy

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You think this is bad, wait until, if ever, they legalize poker online. Gov. always seems to make the easy hard, they could turn a lifetime long twinkie into a rotten pile of mush.

I've had this battle with several players in the past that keep clicking their heels in hopes that the gov. will see it their way.

You may end up with, few options, too high of stakes and or rakes. For instance California indian casinos in the south part of the state have huge minimums sometimes starting at $25 per blackjack hand.

For some of you thats fine but joe and jane pokermann in a whole wont play those high stakes. Another big problem is politicians greed, dont be surprised to see $10 minimum tournaments with a 2 or even 2.50 fee.

While that's all a concern, and I don't mean to minimize it at all; I'm far more concerned about the taxes you'll inevitably face as you try to withdraw your winnings. Can anyone really afford to pay something like a 30% or so tax on their winnings IF they are fortunate enough to win in the first place?

In a "sport" where something like 80%+ of the players are aleady losing players to begin with; this will virtually eliminate any profits that the portion of players who are only marginally winning players now enjoy. That's gonna leave only the "crushers" as enjoying any true winnings and, eventually, I fear, will kill online poker as, say, 90%+ of people realize that, with the onerous taxes, there is just little money left to be made unless you are at the top of the heap.

Hope I'm wrong....... I wouldn't mind an up-front tax so much (taxed as you deposit) and then any winnings are free and clear, but I just don't think it'll pan-out that way.
 
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hawtshawt420

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Can anyone really afford to pay something like a 30% or so tax on their winnings IF they are fortunate enough to win in the first place?


I can see how a 30% tax on withdraws would kill marginal winnings but what makes you think it would be such a high number?
 
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hawtshawt420

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Greed, Government ineptness, Sin tax; take your pick.

So no actual evidence. Gotcha. A bit surprising since half the posts on this site are along the lines of "can you post more information, I can't draw a conclusion with what's provided"
 
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Big_Rudy

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So no actual evidence. Gotcha. A bit surprising since half the posts on this site are along the lines of "can you post more information, I can't draw a conclusion with what's provided"

Of course no actual evidence. It would be difficult to have evidence of what rate it will be taxed at when they haven't even passed anything to regulate it/make it legal. Just past experience.

Best I can do atm is anecdotal evidence. Look around. Taxes are ridiculously high. Taxes on "luxury" and/or "sin" items tend to be even higher. Poker will be an easy target for taxation when/if the government gets involved in it's regulation. As I stated in my previous post, I hope I'm wrong. But, I doubt it.
 
kidkvno1

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I can see how a 30% tax on withdraws would kill marginal winnings but what makes you think it would be such a high number?
I know some of the feds tax laws, it would be 15% to 30%.
You also have to pay the sate tax.

Tax laws will make your head spin.
 
Charade You Are

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Tax laws will make your head spin.

That's the plan...and why so many don't do their own taxes. The government really doesn't want you to know all the games they play. Everyone seems to know how much they get back, but ask them how much they paid and they don't know. If you get a refund, you just loaned your money to the government for 0 interest.
 
pfb8888

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if you want safety...regulation....you need govt.....because people are inherently greedy and without regulation bad things happen.

or you can take the risk of playing cards with friends and friends of friends and hope not to get busted or cheated....

or stop playing altogether.

this is still a free country...even if options are limited
 
TheKAAHK

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if you want safety...regulation....you need govt.....because people are inherently greedy and without regulation bad things happen.

or you can take the risk of playing cards with friends and friends of friends and hope not to get busted or cheated....

or stop playing altogether.

this is still a free country...even if options are limited

You guys keep saying that despite mountains of evidence to the contrary..

Not trying to knock America or anything, but to keep saying that cliche all the time, regardless of the ridiculous restrictions and legislation is stretching it a bit.

I really hope, for all our sakes, that the intelligent people in your country start overpowering all the sheep and finally get things rolling the other way before we all have to suffer even more over this nonsense.
 
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Big_Rudy

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You guys keep saying that despite mountains of evidence to the contrary..

Not trying to knock America or anything, but to keep saying that cliche all the time, regardless of the ridiculous restrictions and legislation is stretching it a bit.

I really hope, for all our sakes, that the intelligent people in your country start overpowering all the sheep and finally get things rolling the other way before we all have to suffer even more over this nonsense.

^^Agree 110%.

if you want safety...regulation....you need govt.....because people are inherently greedy and without regulation bad things happen.

or you can take the risk of playing cards with friends and friends of friends and hope not to get busted or cheated....

or stop playing altogether.

this is still a free country...even if options are limited

Why, exactly, do we the government to "keep us safe" while playing poker? I always felt entirely safe pre BF, was never ripped-off, not even once, and got all my money back when the DOJ forced PS to kick me out. Turns out it was the government that I needed protection from, not big, bad pokerstars.

I realize this was not the case for everyone, but I'm just sayin'. There is no need for the government to "keep you safe" in an online environment if you just do a little due diligence yourself before you invest your money anywhere. Even if you allocated xAmount of your online money to be lost to fraud/dishonesty, unless you are a total fool, this amount will end-up being less than the government will charge all of us for the priviledge of "keeping us safe".
 
acky100

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should say:

what we know about online poker:

**** all.
 
TheKAAHK

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should say:

what we know about online poker:

**** all.

And if things could be this simple then we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. If only.
 
Charade You Are

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I really hope, for all our sakes, that the intelligent people in your country start overpowering all the sheep and finally get things rolling the other way before we all have to suffer even more over this nonsense.

The two parties have such a stranglehold on the election process, that any intelligent 3rd party candidate doesn't have a chance. And since the Supreme Court decided that corporations are people, Congress is hopelessly bought and paid for. The kool-aid drinkers at both ends of the political spectrum will vote their party even if the devil himself were running and since both presidential candiates have to pander to their base, the whole thing is depressing.

Why, exactly, do we the government to "keep us safe" while playing poker? I always felt entirely safe pre BF, was never ripped-off, not even once, and got all my money back when the DOJ forced PS to kick me out. Turns out it was the government that I needed protection from, not big, bad PokerStars.

I lost a lot more money to the DOJ (Tilt, AP, UB) than I did to fraud.

Lost a few hundred at Pitbull (the f****rs), and $8 at gohard (luckily I cashed out just before they closed everleaf to US players. I suppose that could be put on the DOJ, too :banghead: ).

That reminds me, did anyone ever get any of their everleaf money?
 
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quintass

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You guys keep saying that despite mountains of evidence to the contrary..

Not trying to knock America or anything, but to keep saying that cliche all the time, regardless of the ridiculous restrictions and legislation is stretching it a bit.

I really hope, for all our sakes, that the intelligent people in your country start overpowering all the sheep and finally get things rolling the other way before we all have to suffer even more over this nonsense.
This US boy agrees! I love my country but hate the politics. In with the sharks out with sheep is what I say. I bet every one of those hipocritcal politicians have once in there lives played a freindly .25/.50 or 1.00 / 2.00 game amongst friends. If I'm wrong, I'll eat Angelina Jolies dirty underwear. Come to think of it, if I'm right I'll eat Angelinas Jolies dirty underwear! :eek:
 
moemtg

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All we can do is keep pushing the fact... Persistence is the key to success... Get out and vote in November... Every vote counts! Don't just sit around and wait for everything to be put into your lap... do your part... Vote!

P.S. I just registered to vote in my district yesterday... it took me a total of 15 minutes from receiving the paperwork to it being accepted by the worker on site... Fight for your rights! Do not let you vote go silent into the night! Fight for your rights and for what you believe to be fair and just. If you are not registered to vote then here is a start for you:

http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Voting/Register.shtml

Let your voice be heard this November! And Continue to fight for what you believe in!

Moe. :cool:

P.S. I know I sound repetitive, but sometimes people need to hear or read it a few times to let it sink in. In no way am I being or intended to be patronizing or sarcastic.
 
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