The Poker Player’s Alliance has posted its newest petition to urge U.S. legislators to pass legalization and regulation of online poker in the country.

At the spearhead of U.S. online poker legalization is the Poker Player’s Alliance (PPA) and U.S.-based lobbying organization that is responsible for many successful intrastate online gambling law passages and for keeping the movement to legalize online poker across these entire United States alive. In its latest salvo, the PPA has just posted a new online petition directed at U.S. legislators in Congress and inviting all U.S. citizens to sign.

The petition, which can be found at: www {dot} theppa {dot} org/changepetition2 is called “It Is Time For Congress To Pass Legislation To License Online Poker”. It currently has approximately 5,000 signatures, which is half the number the organizers are seeking.

The individual responsible for starting the petition is Rich Muny, PPA Vice President. It starts out by asking elected officials to pursue online poker licensing regulations, rather than trying to ban the game outright. The petition goes on to justify its request for a reexamination of the issue based on the December, 2011 U.S. Department of Justice announcement that the federal Wire Act of 1961 would not apply to online poker given that the game is not only one of chance but skill as well.

It also reminds elected officials that the National Fraternal Order of Police recently wrote to both House and Senate leaders asking for passage of just such regulations. Supporters of U.S. online poker legalization include former Homeland Security secretary Tom Ridge and former FBI director Louis Freeh.