Washington State Bans Online Gambling

[IE]

By Colin Fagras
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

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.

 

[saint]

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.

Turning online poker into the equivalent of sex crimes...nice work.

Seriously, every day I wake up I hate this country more and more.

The obvious reason is that the state gets no cut of online gambling in light of the fact they are filled with state sanctioned casinos which they generate revenue from.

Makes me sick.

 

[Penguinfan]

Turning online poker into the equivalent of sex crimes...nice work.

Seriously, every day I wake up I hate this country more and more.

The obvious reason is that the state gets no cut of online gambling in light of the fact they are filled with state sanctioned casinos which they generate revenue from.

Makes me sick.

I agree with your anger here, but disagree with your reasoning. Instead of making it a felony because they are afraid to lose tax money why wouldn't they just legalize it and sell a liscense for a trillion dollars and then tax the revenue after that?

 

[Terryray]

I agree with Saint. Half the reason for this law is to protect a goverment monopoly, the protection of which is becoming more immoral than the gambling itself.

WA state knows trying to tax/regulate an unstoppable and burgeoning (largely offshore) betting industry is a non-starter.

 

[toastonastick]

phone your bets in. it wonder if you can get by doing that?

 

[bjfinste]

The state of Washington has 65 casinos and card rooms spread across the state, and even a state lottery

We don't need to look too far to see where the lobbyists who bought the vote were bankrolled.

 

[saint]

I agree with your anger here, but disagree with your reasoning. Instead of making it a felony because they are afraid to lose tax money why wouldn't they just legalize it and sell a liscense for a trillion dollars and then tax the revenue after that?

Same goes for pot, cocaine, heroin and everything else that's illegal but easily bought in the US.

I'm not sure about washington state, but I do know that in NC a big reason it took until this year to get a lottery was the moral issue. It would be very difficult for WA to regulate something that is almost completely offshore.

 

[BleedDodgerBlue]

one guy will get pinched. scare tactic. he will win if it ever goes all the way to the supreme court as long as he is wagering with companies outside the united states.

just wouldn't want to be that guy and have his legal bills. although i imagine plenty of constitutional lawyers would take the case for free to have at it with the supreme court. the case could definitely take it that far. its invasion of privacy, and i highly doubt the state of washington is going to spend that much time enforcing it after they get the first guy or girl and publicly scare everyone. its been illegal in nevada to gamble online forever, and no one has ever got in trouble there.

just typical lawmakers having zero idea what they are talking about.

gl

 

[yak merchant]

Well I was planning a vacation to the Northwest and Canada, and by god I'll make sure I don't drop a red cent in that state. Might even write the geniuses in that state a letter before I go, explaining how I had to fly into Oregon and pack a bunch of 5 gallon gas cans in my rental car so I could make it to Vancouver without buying gas in their state.

Check out this post on the internet I found. I always wondered how those David Koresh type standoffs happen. And I used to think it was ridiculous, but now I understand it more and more everyday.

I'm 76 years old and too old and cheap to drive the 60 miles to the nearest Indian casino to play poker. Besides their chairs don't feel right and I can't always get a seat at the low blind tables. I play on line now--PartyPoker. No limit. 25 cent/25 cent tables. I generally make enough money each week to buy 10 state lottery ticket--which I have never won. Tell those idiots in Olympia that I am gonna continue to be a felon and when they come to my home to arrest me and drag me to prison they better be a pack'in and I don't mean a pack of cards.

Tex H. Oldem
Seattle, Washington

 

[Penguinfan]

I'm 76 years old and too old and cheap to drive the 60 miles to the nearest Indian casino to play poker. Besides their chairs don't feel right and I can't always get a seat at the low blind tables. I play on line now--PartyPoker. No limit. 25 cent/25 cent tables. I generally make enough money each week to buy 10 state lottery ticket--which I have never won. Tell those idiots in Olympia that I am gonna continue to be a felon and when they come to my home to arrest me and drag me to prison they better be a pack'in and I don't mean a pack of cards.

Tex H. Oldem
Seattle, Washington

GOOD FOR HIM!!!!!


It's funny you say you don't know how standoffs and things like that happen simply because I am sure when most people see things like that on the news they just shake their head and say just that "Can't believe that guy just spapped like that".

Let me tell you people don't just snap, they were driven to do the things they do over a period of time, trust me on this, you don't wake up one day and say, "gee I think I'll take a gun to work and kill everyone I see".

People also always say "man, we never saw it coming", well guess what, you ****ing should have!


Anyway, good for the old guy, give em hell.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

I live in Seattle so needless to say I'm a little pissed. I do, however, live about a mile and a half from Aurora Avenue, which is best known for hookers and casinos. Within just a couple of miles of my house there are no less than 5 casinos where I can play Hold 'Em. Unfortunately, as most of you probably know, brick and mortar players tend to be better players than the online jackasses who watch the Travel Channel and think the key to winning at $3/$6 Hold 'Em is to bluff constantly, simply because that's what Gus Hansen did on Wednesday night. Nevermind the fact that Low Limit and No Limit are two completely different games. Anyway, long story short, I'm a bit surprised by this. Like I said before, I'm lucky enough to live close to casinos but I know many others who aren't. Indian casinos are everywhere in this state (take a look at some of the city/town names in WA next time you get a chance), but it's still one hell of an inconvenience to have to drive out of your way when there is no earthly reason to. Then again, I have no plans whatsoever of ceasing my online play so I suppose it's a moot point...

 

[LetsMakeMoney]

what about sports? can u still bet on sports online or even that is banned

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

what about sports? can u still bet on sports online or even that is banned

I believe it's just casino games LMM (i.e. blackjack, poker, slots, etc.). And therein lies the rub... none of the casinos here in WA have sportsbooks, so casinos don't lose any money when people bet on sports online. They do, however, lose a ton of money when people play casino games online.

 

[BleedDodgerBlue]

Unfortunately, as most of you probably know, brick and mortar players tend to be better players than the online jackasses

i disagree wholeheartedly with this statement.


screw inconvenience as well, its all about game selection, more hands per hour, and a better rake.


gl

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

i disagree wholeheartedly with this statement.


screw inconvenience as well, its all about game selection, more hands per hour, and a better rake.


gl

Well my personal experience has been that the players online, as a whole, are much worse than the players I've played against in casinos here. I've only played live games in WA, so I can't speak to the level of play anywhere else. As for the inconvenience thing, I guess it depends on which you prefer. If you prefer live games then driving an hour might not be a big deal as opposed to just sitting in your living room and playing. Like you mentioned though, getting to play twice as many hands and not having to tip the dealer is an added perk of playing online. I still play online for the level of competition though.

 

[BleedDodgerBlue]

Well my personal experience has been that the players online, as a whole, are much worse than the players I've played against in casinos here. I've only played live games in WA, so I can't speak to the level of play anywhere else. As for the inconvenience thing, I guess it depends on which you prefer. If you prefer live games then driving an hour might not be a big deal as opposed to just sitting in your living room and playing. Like you mentioned though, getting to play twice as many hands and not having to tip the dealer is an added perk of playing online. I still play online for the level of competition though.

playing anything lower than 5/10 live or online is a losing proposition online or live as the rake is a killer without rakeback.

i guess it depends on what limit you play.

as for online, nothing beats its convenience, rake, availabilty, rakeback, game selection, and hands per hour.

some of the best players in the world play online. and i'm not talking names you heard of or see on tv.

gl

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

playing anything lower than 5/10 live or online is a losing proposition online or live as the rake is a killer without rakeback.

i guess it depends on what limit you play.

as for online, nothing beats its convenience, rake, availabilty, rakeback, game selection, and hands per hour.

some of the best players in the world play online. and i'm not talking names you heard of or see on tv.

gl

I typically play $3/6 or $4/8. I don't play in the casinos much because, like you said, it's tough to beat the rake. Maybe I've been lucky but I've been able to pretty consistently beat the online game at the $3/6 level. Don't get me wrong, I don't make a living at it or anything. But I would say roughly 75-80% of the time I play I come out ahead. Like you mentioned, there are a lot of factors that go into it. I want a few LAGs in the room but I don't want too many because then it's 6 or 7 against 1 and odds are that someone will draw out on you. I also want to make sure I have the right people sitting to my, well, right, etc.

Maybe I gave off the wrong impression. I don't for a second believe that all online players suck or that all live players are great. I've met some GREAT online players and some AWFUL live players. So I know exactly what you're talking about.