Washington State Bans Online Gambling

[johnny1212]

By Colin Fagras



In the ongoing battle of Internet poker and online casino gambling, the state of Washington passed a law banning online gambling making it illegal for any resident inside of the state to participate in online casino play.

If you are a resident in the state of Washington, and you are caught in the act of online wagering, you could face a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The legislation, Senate Bill 6613, has turned online gambling into a Class C Felony. This severe type of felony is generally reserved for the prosecution of sex offenders who fail to register with the state.

Poker players across the state are angry, confused, and even slightly offended about the passage of the legislation. The state of Washington has 65 casinos and card rooms spread across the state, and even a state lottery, yet online gambling has been axed. There is much confusion and debate revolving around the fact that the state has both brick and mortar casinos and a state lottery.

Things seemed to move very quickly when the bill was put on the fast track and sent up to the governor, Democrat Christine Gregoire. The House received the bill on February 16th, and a mere few weeks later, it was passed by a vote of 93 to 5, and put into effect. In addition to banning online wagering, the bill also put a halt to the effort to allow the state lottery to be offered online.

Overturning the legislation probably won’t be easy. To overturn the bill and get the law changed would require a 60% majority vote by both houses of the state legislature, which would not be easy. Both residents and onlookers from other states feel that the ban of online gambling is a ban on freedom of choice and is an insult to poker players everywhere.

The issue of banning online gambling has been floating around Congress for a while now, but it seems that Congress decided that these types of decisions are better suited for government control on the state level, as opposed to the national level. In the past several weeks, a handful of well respected professional poker players have gone before Congress and stated their arguments in terms of supporting online gambling for any American who wishes to participate, whether it be for recreation or on a more serious level.

The thought of online poker players in the state of Washington receiving the same punishment as sex offenders is extremely offensive, not to mention absurd, and it’s causing a stir in the online poker community. There are plans in action to attempt to overturn the legislation, but, as of now, the bill has been passed.

[Seanie Mac]

jay boy is f'd

[Gerk]

This may be in total reaction to the gambing habits of the Pasco

Head to Oregon Jay

[Bobtheicon]

This is completely unconstitutional.
Glad I don't live there (not that it would stop me).

[cptkirk321]

At what point do our Government officials in both the US and here in Canada wake up and start taking care of things that actually matter to everybody in their countries, ridings, etc.

So you are telling me that the most pressing issue in the State of Washington is online gambling, lol So I can see it now the priority list for Washington

1. Online gambling
2. Murderers
3. Rapists and Child Molestors
4. Everything else

When are these idiots going to wake up and deal with the real criminals and stop wasting how much time and how much money on getting this bill passed. Here is a novel idea, use the money you wasted and the time you wasted coming up with this bill and put it into making sure all your consitituents can get medicine, sit in there house safe knowing they are not going to get killed, raped, or burglarized, make sure every kid in the state in safe, protected and goes to school with food in their bellies each morning.

No wonder our countries are so friggen messed up when the most important thing for these twits to pass is a bill on peoples freedoms

[Kramer]

Originally Posted by Seanie Mac

jay boy is f'd

Gambler to a bookie to Washington ?

lool

[jaypasco]

Originally Posted by johnny1212

By Colin Fagras



In the ongoing battle of Internet poker and online casino gambling, the state of Washington passed a law banning online gambling making it illegal for any resident inside of the state to participate in online casino play.

If you are a resident in the state of Washington, and you are caught in the act of online wagering, you could face a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The legislation, Senate Bill 6613, has turned online gambling into a Class C Felony. This severe type of felony is generally reserved for the prosecution of sex offenders who fail to register with the state.

Poker players across the state are angry, confused, and even slightly offended about the passage of the legislation. The state of Washington has 65 casinos and card rooms spread across the state, and even a state lottery, yet online gambling has been axed. There is much confusion and debate revolving around the fact that the state has both brick and mortar casinos and a state lottery.

Things seemed to move very quickly when the bill was put on the fast track and sent up to the governor, Democrat Christine Gregoire. The House received the bill on February 16th, and a mere few weeks later, it was passed by a vote of 93 to 5, and put into effect. In addition to banning online wagering, the bill also put a halt to the effort to allow the state lottery to be offered online.

Overturning the legislation probably won’t be easy. To overturn the bill and get the law changed would require a 60% majority vote by both houses of the state legislature, which would not be easy. Both residents and onlookers from other states feel that the ban of online gambling is a ban on freedom of choice and is an insult to poker players everywhere.

The issue of banning online gambling has been floating around Congress for a while now, but it seems that Congress decided that these types of decisions are better suited for government control on the state level, as opposed to the national level. In the past several weeks, a handful of well respected professional poker players have gone before Congress and stated their arguments in terms of supporting online gambling for any American who wishes to participate, whether it be for recreation or on a more serious level.

The thought of online poker players in the state of Washington receiving the same punishment as sex offenders is extremely offensive, not to mention absurd, and it’s causing a stir in the online poker community. There are plans in action to attempt to overturn the legislation, but, as of now, the bill has been passed.

[boldt]

Originally Posted by cptkirk321

At what point do our Government officials in both the US and here in Canada wake up and start taking care of things that actually matter to everybody in their countries, ridings, etc.

So you are telling me that the most pressing issue in the State of Washington is online gambling, lol So I can see it now the priority list for Washington

1. Online gambling
2. Murderers
3. Rapists and Child Molestors
4. Everything else

When are these idiots going to wake up and deal with the real criminals and stop wasting how much time and how much money on getting this bill passed. Here is a novel idea, use the money you wasted and the time you wasted coming up with this bill and put it into making sure all your consitituents can get medicine, sit in there house safe knowing they are not going to get killed, raped, or burglarized, make sure every kid in the state in safe, protected and goes to school with food in their bellies each morning.

No wonder our countries are so friggen messed up when the most important thing for these twits to pass is a bill on peoples freedoms

But Gambling can lead to Crime, stealing and so on.

not only that the state sees the untaxed income out there.


But it is totally bullshit.

[Dr. Jack]

Pasco - Is this getting a lot of media play in Seattle or only gamblers notice it?

[goterps74]

No problem

Pasco will move to Canada now. Nothing will stop him.

[cman]

this is BS

wde

[sportsfan]

I wonder if this will make more buisness for the locals or if people will just not give a f*ck and keep betting online?

[jaypasco]

So ive never been arested in my life but if they catch me gambling online i go to prison 10 yrs? fantastic!

[skippy]

Originally Posted by jaypasco

So ive never been arested in my life but if they catch me gambling online i go to prison 10 yrs? fantastic!

You can have unlimited access to the web if you can provide the warden with WINNERS.

[dave nz]

There has to be computer nerds out there that know how not to get caught.

Its a little like with workplaces who ban workers to view any other net sites that aren't work related. You can download a program and install it that makes it impossible for them to see what u have been viewing.