Washington Votes Forum

Am I felon if dial into my ISP in Washington and play poker? I live in Oregon. Can someone answer this question? Oh, I use anonymzer and encrypt the entire stream of my web browser so it comes from anonymizer. How will big brother know what I am doing? Are they in League with Anonymizer? What if I install PC ANYWHERE (or other remote control software) on a PC physically located in a legal state. Remotely use the browser that is actually executing on a machine in a legal state. I am only "viewing" it remotely. Not to mention the connection would be encrypted. This is just another sickening example of the government trying to suck the citizens dry through criminal fees. It is so insanely impossible to enforce that the federal government hasn't been able to stop it. What makes Washington think they can? Gotta hand to these liberal red diaper doper baby demorats for pushing us into their big government big brother, mind control, government knows best, 1984 future for America. Of course, it won't be American because they will have convince everyone through control of the main stream media that we should dissolve and become part of the EU. This is as bad as The Oregon Cell phone tax and even as bad as the road tax they are running a pilot program for in Oregon. How much can they waste and mismanage, ask for more, before we say, NO.

So, I can play Powerball or buy a scratch ticket, but I can't play online poker? Why? Becuase the the state doesn't make something from it in the process? If you wanted to legalize it and let the poker site servers be hosted in Washington, you could make tons for the state. ND or SD almost did it. If you want to make it safe, legalize it, regulate it, and tax it all you want. Otherwise, its just that much more obivous that the state legislation and the tribes are greedy and ignorant. The Internet knows no borders. Free trade and access to information will rule. Adapt or die!

I am seriously thinking about switching from being a Republican for the last 30 years to a Libertarian. I wish their were a third alternative that stressed less, sane and fiscally responsible govenment. Government delivers services very inefficiently. Basicly, do you want clones of the local post office staff being in charge of your basic needs.

This November, Not one incumbent will receive my vote regardless of which party they claim to be with. NOT ONE! Time to clean house! And...If there is a third or fourth choice on the ballot, you can bet I will be taking a real close look at them. We the people need to start taking back our country and its government. November, I will have my say and do my part !!! Will YOU ???

Is there anything that we can do about this? There has to be a way for us to stand up for our rights and choose if we want to do this activity or not. I can't believe that this got absolutely no air time on or in the news. I had to read about this on a poker forum of all places. I think EVERYONE needs to contact their local news papers and t.v. stations to voice their outrage over this. One more thing, everyone needs to remember who signed this in. DO NOT re-elect this Governor again. What a joke.

That contributor has got it 'Spot On" and that will be my voice in November too. Incumbent = Zero Tolerance!

FINALLY..this is what I like to hear on here..a few more people doing a bit of thinking! Also...have you read about the radio tags they are going to start putting on consumer goods? Another way to track everything we do! And the Government is doing nothing about it! All of you..go to the Libertarian Party on line and read up..they are what we need! The Republicans and Democrats alike are only interested in Power and Money any more, and having the population following their lead like good little sheep. It's time for a BIG change! All we need now is some Libertarians to run, especially for Governor of this state! Know any??

Hey all - there are exactly 5 legislators who voted against this incredibly dumb bill - please vote FOR them not against them. I agree with voting against all the other, though. The number of reasons this is a rediculous law are much too long for a message in this forum. The 5 smart WArepresentatives (btw - there are no smart WA senators): Chandler (R) Dunn (R) Holmquist (R) Morris (D) Nixon (R) Give them a vote and even a donation if you can afford it!

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

My take on the reason for this bill is twofold. 1) This was mostly a move to shutdown the Indian casinos from setting up domestic online poker rooms. Domestic online gambling is illegal but the Indian loophole would have allowed it…and they were working on it. If that happened we would have federal involvement quick and it would be a big deal. So the state forced through a quick bill to make it illegal to do in the state. The bill was created with no enforcement body named. Is that some sort of a tip off that they don’t care so much about the individual? 2) And it does help local card rooms and keeps the money in state. Though for me they are actually reducing the influx of $ into the state since I a winning player online that spends my winnings here. Oh well. They assume most are losers (which is true). I am wondering though if they really needed to make it a Felony instead of a misdemeanor to accomplish #1. Anyone care to comment? I have not read the bill yet. I am going off to do that now.

Seems to me that buying and selling Stocks is more of a gamble than playing poker. You have winners and losers in both games. I guess some of the Stock brokers aren't going to be able to use the Net without breaking the law. I'd like to know exactly what they're trying to accomplish with this silly law. While they're at it, why not outlaw War and/or Poverty?

For someone who is a known tribal advocate and an ex-official of the Washington State Gambling Commission your hypocrisy knows no bounds. I hope that whenever you are up for re-election you are roundly defeated. To make someone a felon for this is outlandish and idiotic and obviously an attempt to put more revenue in your pocket. Wonder how much they are paying you.

have the citizenry organize and get enough signatures to put a new law on the ballot. Make it a Class B felony for a Senator to knowingly pass a stupid law.

Did anyone else notice that this page includes not only the discussion of the bill prohibiting online gambling, but also has a sidebar full of ads for online gambling sites? First, they tell us we can't do it, then they display links to make it easier to violate the law...

This isn't a govt website. This is run by a non-profit organization's, and I'm guessing the Google ads are just to generate some revenue. This site isn't tied to the lawmakers responsible for laws regulating gambling.

I know, but it's still funny. If it had been a bill prohibiting alcohol, we'd see a sidebar for online liquor and beer companies. I suppose we should just be happy that it wasn't a bill dealing with online porn. Lord only knows what the ads would have been like...

Come on WA state legislators - you allow people to play poker in casinos, yet it is a felony to play a $5 poker tournament online? You make no sense!!!! If it is bad - you should not allow it at all. If it is okay - you should allow it everywhere. If it is okay only when regulated, you should regulate it - not ban it!!!!!!!!!!! Seems like common sense to me. Apparently our legislators don't make laws to make sense. What idiocy!

No big providers will be prosecuted, Only some private citizens. Those cases will come about in the "usual" way. A divorcing spouse or angry boy/girlfriend wanting to get even for something- will call police and say, "he is playing poker over the internet using our computer"- police will get his computer - lift files (they're never gone) and prosecute. Class C felony - possible prison -loss of civil rights - loss of firearm rights - record posted on WSP cite so no ptotential employer will ever hire you again ...... it goes on & on. Plitical Parties no longer matter. Both are funded by the same "big money" interests who provide the necessary media time to run "sound bites" to misinform the voters. In this instance "big money" also includes the state itself which must guard its own (rather large) interest in the gambling industry.

Hey all - there are exactly 5 legislators who voted against this incredibly dumb bill - please vote FOR them not against them. I agree with voting against all the others, though. The number of reasons this is a ridiculous law are much too long for a message in this forum. The 5 smart WA representatives (btw - there are no smart WA senators): Chandler (R) Dunn (R) Holmquist (R) Morris (D) Nixon (R) Give them a vote and even a donation if you can afford it!

I have already e-mailed several of the news and newspapers! Is there any other ideas on how to combat this? Petitions? Let me know what more to do. Absolutely ridiculous.

This is the most ridiculous law I could ever imagine in these United States. Tex, you are so right. Come and get me you big jokers!!!!! Jimmy D. 2302 R Street, SE aUBURN, wa 98002-7075

Who are you trying to protect??? Us from ourselves, or the state run gambling and tribal casinos. Im sure that a felony conviction for playing poker in the privacy of your home is protecting me and my family, Right?? Can't believe you would sneak this through without public comment prior. I will do my best to see that my legislators feel the pain for supporting this or allowing it to happen.

You your state lottery, but not internet gambling. If the state were truly interested in protecting its citizens, it would ban its lottery, too.

You can tell everyone that you know about this ridiculous bill. Tell them to do the same thing that you're doing. They've got to contact the news sources also. The only way we stand a chance of changing any of thing is to let everyone know whats going on. After all, our Legislators sure didn't bother to let the public know what they were doing, so now it's up to us.

I emailed my legislators and asked why they supported this Bill. Here is Karen Keiser's answer (don't worry - I will be emailing her back to address many of the myths and untruths she states in this letter): Dear Mr. - Thank you for contacting me about Senate Bill 6133 (SB 6133), which addresses Internet Gambling. I always appreciate hearing from the constituents of the district. There were several reasons why I supported this bill. First, the ease of internet access and lack of definitive protocols for determining the age of a user can easily lead to children participating in online gambling. I am sure you agree that such a danger is one that we need to protect our youth from. Additionally, the prevalence of gambling addictions in our society is an issue we must address. Again, the ease of access to internet gambling can create problems for those who are dealing with addictions while also making it much more available to those who may be susceptible to such an addiction. For these reasons and others, I voted for the prohibition. As you may note, this bill passed unanimously in the Senate and overwhelmingly in the House. One other item we should note. This legislation is not ground breaking in Washington State. The Gambling Act was enacted in 1973 and it has been a gross misdemeanor to knowingly send or receive by telephone, telegraph, radio, semaphore, or similar means any wagers or any other information intended to be used for professional gambling. This legislation extends that law to cover new mediums-the internet and telecommunications. Thank you again for your inquiry. Please let me know if you need any further information. Always, Karen Keiser Senator 33rd District of Washington

The payout on Internet Poker is a minimum of 90%, with the rake decreasing at the higher limit tables. The payout for the lottery is less than 50%.

Sorry Washington, I agree it's a stupid law, but unless you all stop complaining and start doing something about it, nothing will change. I'm so glad I live in a state that has at least a little common sense.

Won't this actually increase the occurances of DUI? How many people who like to have a drink with their poker, and were doing so in the privacy of their home, now have to go and drive to a card room to have that same beverage and card game?

They abstained.

Someone else said it perfectly. The state is worried about us spending our dollars online rather than in the Washington Casino's. What I do with my money in my home is my business, not the goverments. I will be writing my legislator (anonymously of course by snail mail, don't want them to track me down!!!) & telling them what I think of this bogus law.

Granted republicans in D.C. have been trying to get a bill through for years, but this bill was proposed by a democrat, voted for 44-0 and 93-5 by democratic legislators, and signed into law by a democrat. C'mon people.

Indian tribal casino's make campaign contributions to prentice's coffers. State makes a killing on lottery, Special interests with indians, and other cardrooms They shut down internet gambling, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT MAKING MONEY. Pisses me off.

Look on the bright side here......You are allowed FOUR (4) D.U.I.'s within 6 years before you get a Class c felony!!!! Unbelieveable. which equals somehow 1-$1 lucky dollar tourney. So they want parents to spend more time away from their family's as well? .....and the free lotto ticket coupons in the mail to get you hooked is a HUGE one....wtf.

Protect children from iGambling. This is a bogus argument. There are only two main ways of getting money into iGambling sites: credit cards and EFT transfers from a checking account. Few teens have credit cards. Parents need to parent kids with credit cards. EFTs require a checking account and you have to be over 18 to get one. College age kids have joint accounts with their Parents usually. This is nonsense.

This is another bogus argument, brought to you by the States that make their state lottery so pervasive with TV and radio ads, extensive retail distribution sites, TV shows, news stories on winners, and billboards. The lottery gives terrible pot odds--so bad that any hold'm player would "fold" any opportunity to buy a ticket. The casinos and card rooms are worse offenders. Sexy, romantic, glamourous. Protect the cigarette addicts by banning tobacco, protect the alcoholics by banning all liquor sales, protect the porn addicts by banning magazine and iPorn, protect the food bindgers by banning high caloric, high fat foods and fast foods, please protect us you idiots in Olympia.

The 1973 Act was enacted to deter PROFESSIONAL gambling on sports events, not 25 cent poker bets by the average consumer.

Government officials and Tribal gambling establishments; strange bedfellows unless of course one lines the pockets of the other at taxpayer expense. Too bad our 'elected' officials don't take car theft this seriously; but since putting 'real criminals' behind bars is not their priority they take a dim view of one trying to avoid being fleeced, or scalped, by the government.

I heard a program this afternoon that featured a 20 page list of money donations for Margerite (bill sponsor)over the last few years - this list of 20 pages contained only establishments and people linked to land casinos.(of course there are other types of doners as well) The majority where Indian sponsered Casinos. Me thinks Margerite is aware they have to pay a fee to Washington State and this is a way to make sure Washington gets their fair share of the pot. I am appalled that our government has stepped in and decided how we should spend our money at home. I am upset that we who love to game cannot take advantage of all the convienance that the internet has to offer. They allow home shopping, porn sites, Ebay buy and sell and auctioning! If it is about money..tax the internet!

I just heard about this new law. This isn't really true is it? I hope that my congress people didn't spend time putting this law together and then vote yes to it. This is absolutely proof there is a God and there is scandalious demons working in the government. You people are truely disgusting and couldn't be more unjust. Please tell me this is just a hoax like war of the worlds.

this is Gvt at it's worst. how in the world can we have a lottery and card rooms in this state and not allow online poker?? i see all my reps backed this, they can feel safe knowing i will never cast a vote for them again. the Governor never had my support to begin with.