US Citizens Want Online Casinos and Marijuana

May 19, 2009 | News Category: Gaming Law

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The White House has conducted an unscientific online study into various hot topics including online casinos. The study shows that United States citizens want more when it comes to their personal freedom. Personal freedom for US citizens includes the right to play in online casinos, and for some people, the right to smoke pot.

Those who responded to the online study showed that they want more control over their own actions, and less control placed upon their actions by the government. Online gambling is one of the areas in which US citizens are serious about receiving personal freedom to play in the online casinos they choose. Respondents also hope and expect that President Obama honors his campaign pledges in this regard.

The survey drew more than 125,000 people, with the results showing that the main issue which concerns respondents, centers around the legalization of marijuana. The top technological issue that US citizens wanted was the legalization of online gambling.

President Obama set up the change.gov site during his campaign, which he used to publish his thoughts on the Internet. The site also allowed voters to give their feedback and input about issues. The current Citizen's Briefing Book is a continuation of the campaign website, which gives citizens the opportunity to air their views.

A comment in the Citizen's Briefing Book regarding the issue of legalizing online gambling says "The administration can show its commitment by working with the new Congress and FCC to pass laws that make Net Neutrality the cornerstone to protecting innovation, free speech and choice on the Internet." The online gambling issue nearly tied with online poker as the most desired tech policy.

There were many who tried to get Congress to legalize and regulate online gambling, although the online poker community are particularly vocal and work together to try and make a change for online gambling and specifically Internet poker. The executive director of the Poker Players Alliance, John Pappas, said that he was not surprised that Internet gambling placed so highly in the results of the survey. He noted that the Poker Players Alliance alone sent more than 80,000 letters to Congress last year, which all supported the regulation and licensing of online poker.

Others make a point of reminding President Obama of another statement he made when he was presidential candidate, when he said "The war on drugs has been an utter failure. We need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws."