Las Vegas » legal http://www.lassvegass.com Gambling heaven Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:29:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Washington State Outlaws Online Gambling http://www.lassvegass.com/washington-state-outlaws-online-gambling.html http://www.lassvegass.com/washington-state-outlaws-online-gambling.html#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:51:11 +0000 admin http://www.lassvegass.com/?p=802 The most recent attempt is expected to pass the house, but it will most likely fail in the Senate. Washington State legislators decided to take matters into their own hands by passing this new law. Since there is no contradictory federal law, the Washington State law will face clear sailing.

The legislation does more than ban online gambling. It also bans talking about online gambling—quite the communist move by legislators. The legislation specifically outlaws the passing of any “gambling information.” Furthermore, gambling information is defined as: “information as to wagers, betting odds and changes in betting odds shall be presumed to be intended for use in professional gambling.” Technically, a blog that talks about a nationally televised sports game and mentions the “spread” would be in violation of the law and subject to penalty.

As expected, legislators are quick to point out that the law would not be used against individuals in this way. While that is all warm and fuzzy, the fact remains that the law is still on the books. Perhaps a better way to put it is that they don’t currently plan to use it in this way—just wait until they need it. Also, if there was an ounce of truth to those statements, then how do you explain the official statement by Rick Day, the Executive Director for the Washington State Gambling Commission? When asked whether or not a site simply linking to an online gambling destination was in violation he said, “If the site also has a link to a gambling site, then to us that’s no different.” According to this statement, simply linking to a site can get you charged with a Class C Felony.

There is further cause for concern here, in regards to the way laws are written and the precedence they set. It’s possible other states will look at Washington State’s actions and decide to enact something similar.

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