f13.net

Now A Felony In The State Of Washington To Play Poker On The Internet
May 28, 2006
 
As of June 7, it is now a felony in the state of Washington to play poker on the Internet. The bill, S.S.B. No. 6613, has stirred up great anxiety in poker forums. Many feel, correctly, that they have been blind-sided. I searched the databases of Washington newspapers and could find almost nothing written about the law as it was making its way through the Legislature. In fact, when the Seattle Times published an article about bills to make Internet gambling a crime, it only mentioned proposals pending in Congress.


Now, players are worried that they might get arrested. Some are trying to organize political committees to get the new law changed.


In the real world, the new law will make little difference. In fact, the Washington State Gambling Commission has taken the official position that the bill merely "clarifies" existing law:


Although Internet gambling has never been an authorized activity in Washington, this law was passed to make it very clear that Internet gambling is illegal in Washington. This includes gambling on the Internet, operating an Internet gambling site, or facilitating Internet gambling in any way.

Is the Commission right, that being a mere bettor has always been illegal in Washington? Yes - at least to some forms of gambling.


Prior to being amended by S.S.B. No. 6613, the law read:


Whoever knowingly transmits or receives gambling information by telephone, telegraph, radio, semaphore or similar means, or knowingly installs or maintains equipment for the transmission or receipt of gambling information shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor...

This made betting by phone with a bookie a crime. But it is questionable whether playing poker on the Internet fell under this law.


Other Washington statutes make it a crime to participate in any form of gambling that is not authorized by the state or a pure social game. But there is at least some doubt as to whether these apply to the Internet at all, let alone to a game where the operator and all of the other players are in foreign states.


S.S.B. No. 6613 added the words "the internet" and "a telecommunications transmission system" to the list. So, it clearly now is a crime to send or receive any gaming information online, which would include playing poker.


Washington is probably the only state to expressly make it a crime to merely bet online. It certainly is the only state to make it a felony.


A "Class C felony" means a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.


It is interesting to speculate who was behind this bill. The real impetus appears to be a desire to prevent the State Lottery from using the Internet. But other political players probably had a role in creating this draconian law.


Making Internet gambling a felony allows religious conservatives, opponents of Indian gaming, and anti-gambling activists to make a strong statement. Some of them may even have thought the law might be enforced, although even they must know that no one is ever going to be arrested for playing poker from his own home.


And then there are Washington's licensed card clubs. As the Commission stated, in its Focus on Gambling Newsletter, "Some card room operators asked that we help get the word out that gambling over the Internet is illegal."


The Commission complied. It created a sign that can be posted in poker rooms to remind players that, at least in Washington, they must leave home to make a legal wager.

facilitating Internet gambling in any way.

All ISPs to close in Washinton?

Yet more dumbass Internet Laws.

Woot.

Yes.

(I use TVG- if you are interested, PM me and I can get a bonus if you sign up! Yes, I am a whore). Unfortunately, I have discovered that I could very well be the world's worst handicapper, so I am pretty sure I won't get the $5-$10k extra income from the ponies this year. 

I discovered that it was very dangerous to have the ability to sit in my underwear at home and bet 12 horse races an hour.

As for poker, just play. They've come out and said they are not seeking to enforce it against individual users. 

WAP is your good friend?  INR?  Tell me, is it true he has a third nipple and webbed toes.  If you don't want to discuss him publicly, feel free to PM me.  Send pics, if you have the time.

Just to stay somewhat railed... has online gambling become so popular that it could seriously damage casino gambling?  I should think the majority of  people going to places like Vegas and Atlantic City do so more as a vacation package.  You know, shows, gambling, dining, etc.  Does Washington state lose so much tax money that it's worth this sort of reaction?  I know WAP enjoys going to Vegas a lot.  I always assumed it was because he got to gamble while pretty ladies served him free drinks and shook their ta tas in his face.  I'm sure he'd prefer winning/losing his money in that manner and not sitting in his living room with a hot laptop slowly radiating his nads into useless meat balls.  Am I that wrong?

The stupid thing is that online play has likely increased revenue for poker rooms by bringing people into the game and then making them want to play 'real' poker where they can show off their amazing chip handling skills. Typical shortsighted nonsense.

For some reason, I just can't wrap my head around poker being so popular.  Maybe it's because of all this celebrity poker stuff... or maybe they're into it because it's popular.  It's just seems odd.

Wasn't there a period of time where you couldn't gamble anywhere in the US but in Las Vegas?  Or have I made that up?

Whatever you do, do not do well with play money then convince yourself you are a good player based on that.

My coworker did great with play money, then he immediately jumped into $1/$2 games and lost a boatload.

I never played with play money, 1c/2c is plenty. On a bad night you might lose 20 cents.