Online Gambling & Online Poker banned in Washington

Jeezus I can't believe this actually happened, now it's a class C felony to gamble online if you live in Washington, am I right in thinking that's 10 years jailtime?

Absolutely crazy and I hope this doesn't affect any players from here.

really? what's the source?

Looks like Alon & Roundcat are in Washington state.

I read that the reason they snuck this law into passing is that Indian casinos there were threatening to set up gambling sites online by taking advantage of sovereignty loopholes. The article also said it was unlikely that authorities would hunt PC users in their homes in search of online gambling evidence because it would take too much resources.

...but you never know.

Unbelievable. I mean really. If a grown adult can't decide how, when, and where to spend their hard-earned money, then wtf? "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness". It's beginning to sound a little hollow, isn't it?

Lock up online gamblers so that they can gamble in their cells instead of their studies.
Feed them and keep them for up to 10 years.
The State of Washington sure has its house in order, oh yes.

zinzan1000

Is Washington the only state to outlaw online gambling. I'm asking because I have never played cash games online, because hearing that in my state (Nebraska), you cannot cash out. I have no idea if it's true or not. So... anyone know?

LOL, what a country! A class C felony for playing cards onine...what a frickin joke. I can only imagine the poor little guy sitting in his cell with his rommate that killed 5 people and he asks what you did to land in there, I am sure they would be terrified of the online gambler.

This isn't the land of anything. I would assume this will be happening through out all the states. If the government can't get there share of the money be generated through online gambling then it will be illegal unless they figure out a way to tax you. Otherwise the casinos will lobby for some kind of action, I hear the casinos aren't doing very well, at least around here in Illinois. Have some friends that are dealers on the boats and business has dropped a lot, causing them to lay off quite a few dealers. One day this country is going to p1ss off the group of people, cause we can't do anything without the government sticking there nose in everything.

More information here: http://www.washingtonvotes.org/2006-SB-6613

I agree, it's total rubbish that they can ban online gambling and yet allow gambling to happen offline all over the state. That's just being totally hypocritical.

As one of my friends pointed out, they need to look at the definition of what a democracy is:

Democracy (deem-ah-krah-see)

The term democracy indicates a form of government where all the state's decisions are exercised directly or indirectly by a majority of its citizenry through a fair elective process. When these factors are met a government can be classified as such. This can apply to a multitude of government systems as these concepts transcend and often occur concomitantly with other types.

LOL!

[21:33] <Qhr1s0> what is a "class c felony"?
[21:33] <Qhr1s0> like, what other stuff is class c
[21:33] <juiceeQ> Hmmm...not sure
[21:33] <Qhr1s0> i'll look it up i guess
[21:39] <juiceeQ> omg
[21:40] <juiceeQ> the punishment for "engaging in online wagering up from a gross misdemeanor to a Class C Felony,...'"
[21:42] <juiceeQ> "...which outlines a punishment of up to ten years in prison and is usually reserved for prosecution of sex offenders who fail to register with the state under their “Megan’s Law” guidelines."
[21:42] <Qhr1s0> rofls
[21:42] <juiceeQ> are you f-ing kidding me? Sex Offenders??? My God.
[21:43] <Qhr1s0> i've often felt like i've been getting raped while playing poker online, but that's pretty ridiculous

...what?

On a serious note, I like how this has seemingly been 'snuck through', in that I and I suspect many others are only hearing about this legislation for the first time now.

if i may play devil's advocate, we must remember that there are quite a few laws, not just anti-gambleing laws, in this country that are essentially designed to protect people from themselves. it doesn't suprise me at all that such a law would be enacted, especially when the president has been set with other such victemless crime legislation, and that with the exception of two states and native american tribes, gambleing is technically illegal all over this country. Just because a majority of people might think it's stupid, that never stopped the good old US of A before

Having said all that, please understand that i don't agree with it and think it's increadibly idiotic, but I also think that the whole part about class C felony is just a bunch of hot air. no one is going to get 10 years for playing cards online. there are undisputedly worse crimes that are not subject to such punishments. At worst you might see a few token fines, maybe a couple sites located in that state (if there are any) being shut down, much as was the case with online file sharing, which i might add is supposed to be illegal across this entire country, but is still rampant. this is just a classic example of self rightious politians, trying to take the moral high ground, playing to their electorate. remember this is an election year. if i were living in washington, i might be a little nervous about it, but while this is all speculation here, i really don't think there is any reason to be. this is just typical political BS and it wouldn't suprise me at all if nothing came from it all except for a bunch of people being unfairly scared away from something they love doing

-n

"which a person is prohibited from knowingly transmitting or receiving wagers or other gambling information"

Assuming they are classing Poker as Gambling, receiving gambling information is a crime?

I dont think this bill can mean what is being suggested. Firstly, it was passed 3 months ago and signed 6 weeks ago - surely there would have been a big news story then if it actually did make PLAYING internet poker a class c felony? Secondly, the bill was passed 44 to 0 and 93 to 5 - the anti-gambling lobby cant be that strong certainly?

It is funny that this post comes out the same day I hear that Washington relaxed it's laws on horse betting so I can go down to the local tavern and place a bet on a horse.

I did read the law and it does seem that the state is really concerned with out of state lotteries or Tribes getting a piece of the states lottery pie. Anyway, I'm from Canada. Really I am. I'm a poker player and would not lie.

bluff, maybe. lie, never. -_-

hmmmmmm.....I live in washington and this is the first I've heard of it. sounds kinda chitty but F them, I'm a grown ass man doin grown ass things. If they wanna come to my house and bust me for playin a couple games of poker on the weekends then more power to them I guess, but i doubt it's gonna stop anyone from playin. Especially if noone here even knows that that is a new law.

Everyone needs to start taking blame for their own actions. Everybody always wants to point the finger at someone else. We don't need the government protecting us from ourselves, we need to protect ourselves from the government. We as Americans have lost our rights.....yet nobody notices and if they do nobody says anything. You always get, well go live in Russia or Iraq and see how you like it....well I don't live there and don't to hear that BS. If anybody wants to make a stand don't vote. If nobody goes out and votes, then thats telling the government what we think of them, instead of voting for people from off a list that we don't want. Sorry, this sh1t just gets to me.

Actually if you read the whole section of the gambling law it looks like Wa. has prohibited online gambling for a while. The change that passed was making it a felony instead of a misdemeanor.

That since the server the actual game takes place in resides offshore, that you're not actually playing in Washington.

Laws like this will necessarily be changed, or outdated by the time they put together the amount of people it would take to enforce the law. It would be better if the government would wake up and get a clue and figure out that regulating online poker so that it could be taxed would be a more effective thing to do, then to attempt to write laws that can't possibly be enforced.

The sad thing is the way our legal system works, law enforcement probably would use all their resources to track down, find and prosecute online gamblers, those pesky murders are just too hard to find, and require sooo much work.

it is very sad that a person cant sit in there home and do what they want on there computer that they worked for if it doesnt hurt anyone else without the gov getting there noses in it and why can the indians have casinos on there land and you cant play a game of cards on your land that you are paying for in the land of the free

this is unbelieveable. I can't really see any state actually enforcing this REDICULOUS law. If they do, I can only imagine the number of serious online gamblers immigrating to the Great White North. lol Poker players being banned from pllaying online, Canada welcomes you with open arms!!!

this is outragious!!!!!! i dont care if my spelling is bad at the moment, i should misspell each and every word.....because i feeel as if i have just been thrown into some other world ....or hey maybe illl just pinch myself and wake ....up..this is too much. well seems like i willl be making a move really soon....when i saw on the news ...that washingtons new slogan was...... " say Wa" i thought i was stuck in a cartoon gone life like, and needed a rewrite. welll seeems this is a secret ballot. and well i live where i live....shhh....."say Wa" and this is the first i read about it, still havent heard anything about even the thought of it. hmmm.....am i stuck in the Twilight Zone wow i am feeling sooo sick, as if there werent enough things which our government could control or atleast get a grip on. DUH you would think that there are priorities which are being completly ignored.

go figure....wouldnt ya know it.....i hate to say it ....though seems like this is CROOK like behaviors, trying to ....i have no idea this just is plain ole stupid.

"Land of the Free and Home of the Brave!" BAH! What a joke............
"Land of the Crooks and Home of the Insane!" is more like it.