it is LEGAL to gamble online in Washington!

Dominique · #1 (**permalink**) 24th-April-2007, 07:48 PM

http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2...re/1243.PL.pdf

matted · #2 (**permalink**) 24th-April-2007, 09:27 PM

Amazing how much legalese there needs to be, but I'll take it. Definitely good news! At least someone understands there are recreational gamblers!

MichaelCorfman · #3 (**permalink**) 24th-April-2007, 10:38 PM

This is great news, although is sort of destroys some plans I was toying with.

My parents live in the Seattle area, and my wife and kids and I are planning on visiting this summer as part of our vacation plans. So, I've been thinking about issuing press releases announcing I was going to play poker online while at my parent's house. Making a special point to copy all of the enforcement agencies, and getting our reporters to get reactions from them.

If they completely ignored a very publicized incident, that would probably be pretty newsworthy, and certainly if I was arrested for illegal gambling that would be pretty newsworthy. Especially since, I was planning to just be playing poker online in the free play area of a site so I couldn't actually be convicted of a felony.

I never asked my wife (or my attorney) what they thought of the idea, but personally I was finding the idea pretty irresistible.

Michael

CityGuard · #4 (**permalink**) 25th-April-2007, 12:11 AM

Haha, you still have your chance to go for it. The bill stipulates primary residence (page 2, line 4), so if you're visiting family or friends it is still a no-no.

I think I recall hearing about a location where home poker games were legal and it was ok to take a contribution for running them, but poker rooms were no legal (the distinction being the area where the game was held is considered a residence)...and some enterprising folks ended up just using houses and stuffing them with poker tables for their "home games" to get around the restriction. So perhaps avoiding that workaround was the motivation for the language.

ogpaper · #5 (**permalink**) 25th-April-2007, 12:42 AM

In all fairness, the law is not yet in effect - so don't go gamble online until the Governor signs it first

helpyou · #6 (**permalink**) 25th-April-2007, 05:22 AM

then only the time can say something. we must wait.

Dominique · #7 (**permalink**) 25th-April-2007, 12:11 PM

According to Microgaming:

Quote:

"According to the House Bill 1243 http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2...re/1243.PL.pdf the law only provides for a defence if a felony occurs as a result of a breach of the conditions set out in the Bill. Reading the text it is still an offence to transmit or receive gambling information. It is only once prosecuted that the Bill allows ‘recreational purposes’ as a defence. Even so people being prosecuted still must provide evidence that the information in question was for ‘the defendants own enjoyment’.

Therefore there is no change to the blocked 11 states. "

ogpaper · #8 (**permalink**) 25th-April-2007, 12:22 PM

Microgaming are a funny bunch - what they do is illegal in all 51 states, and yet...

Dominique · #9 (**permalink**) 25th-April-2007, 12:54 PM

Now I am not a lawyer and this in not a legal opinion or advice, but gambling online is regulated on a state level and only 11 states have a law against it.

UIGEA is about money, not gambling per se.

Now Washington left the old law on the books from what I can see, but amended it so players playing at home for their own enjoyment cannot be prosecuted under it.

They can theoretically be arrested but have to be let go when they explain the above.

So as far as playing online the law has become unenforceable and I bet 'ya what no one will be arrrested for playing online. No point to it.

joeyl · #10 (**permalink**) 25th-April-2007, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelCorfman

This is great news, although is sort of destroys some plans I was toying with.

My parents live in the Seattle area, and my wife and kids and I are planning on visiting this summer as part of our vacation plans. So, I've been thinking about issuing press releases announcing I was going to play poker online while at my parent's house. Making a special point to copy all of the enforcement agencies, and getting our reporters to get reactions from them.

If they completely ignored a very publicized incident, that would probably be pretty newsworthy, and certainly if I was arrested for illegal gambling that would be pretty newsworthy. Especially since, I was planning to just be playing poker online in the free play area of a site so I couldn't actually be convicted of a felony.

I never asked my wife (or my attorney) what they thought of the idea, but personally I was finding the idea pretty irresistible.

Michael

Then I would arrest you because I know you'd be gambling so you can use it as content on your websites, and to further your exposure as a gambling webmaster/affiliate.

Bundles of webmasters testing the law say, "it's just business", or "it's my job". Plenty of spammers around..

Burglars consider themselves to be at work when climbing the drainpipe too