Why was the Washington State Gambling Commission ordering PR Web to cease and desist? And what’s the good news from the Bodog camp? We cover these stories, plus interesting online gambling news from Europe.
For those that wanted to promote their latest and greatest promotions for their online sites, PRWeb was one of the better places to go for your press release needs. However, PRWeb is located in Washington state, which has a law saying that playing online gambling is a Class C felony. This apparently wasn’t a problem until last week, when the Washington State Gambling Commission apparently sent a cease and desist letter to PRWeb, telling them to knock it off. The Casino City Times and many other sites surely will have more news as this develops.
An appellate court in Washington State has reached a decision in the on-going battle against that state’s online gambling ban. Plus, does our industry now have to be concerned over internet filtering from Oz?
We wrap up the week in online gambling with our exclusive interview of Nick Jenkins from Betcha.com about his battle with the Washington State Gambling Commission. Plus, breaking poker news from South Carolina and the European Union’s next move!
A Judge in Washington State has made a ruling in the Betcha.com online gambling case involving our old friend, Nick Jenkins! Plus, we cover industry news from the United Kingdom about Google’s online gambling advertising policy, and the Toronto Sun article about which finally covers the Absolute Poker cheating scandal.
Of the many groups with a presence at the 2008 WSOP, the Poker Players Alliance is doing its best to let the amateur players who flock here know not only that their voice is relevant, but also that there is a plan of action in motion to, essentially, allow online poker sites to advertise with a dot-com. OK, there’s far more to it than that … but establishing poker’s political presence is important — and because it ain’t easy to become the NRA without something akin to the Second Amendment behind you, the PPA is spearheading the efforts both on the grassroots level as well as the important behind-the-scenes ass-kissing palm-greasing politicking in Washington DC.
To help explain the cause and sign up new members, the PPA has poker pros at its booth daily. Click below to read the full press release about these meet-n-greets designed to get everyone on the same team.
In this week’s episode: The Washington State Gambling Ban heads to court! See the only first hand coverage on the web! Plus the Rally for the Poker Players Alliance and other industry news!
In this week’s episode:
What are the SSIGI and HR 5767?
It’s Bob Goodlatte’s Worst Nightmare…
Barney Frank and Ron Paul have introduced HR 5767 to target the financial powers of the UIGEA, and they are receiving the backing of several prominent groups including the SSIGI… or the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.
ePassporte Pushed Out of Industry…
Another one bites the dust…
Last Friday ePassporte abruptly abandoned their US Customers with little explanation. This week we learn that the US Attorney’s Office in New York has been putting the screws to them. Imagine that!
Legal Online Gambling in the US?
It’s no lie…
American citizens can use credit cards and ban accounts to fund their online gambling activities at this site that the US Government not only knows about, but actually encourages you to play at!
In this week’s episode:
There’s No Cheating in Online Poker!
Now that we have your attention…
We thought that we should let ya know that some companies are boldly selling poker bot software for under $200, claiming big returns on your investment! Good luck with that! =0)
Our Tribute to the FBI…
We just LOVE the FBI…
I mean, why wouldn’t we love the FBI? They give us so much free comedy material that we would otherwise have to write for ourselves! God bless those brave men and women fighting the tyranny of online gambling!
Washington State to be a Battleground… Again…
The War Rages on…
First, it was J Todd battling the State Gambling Commission over his websites in 2006. Then our friend Nick Jenkins was actually arrested and charged with online gambling in 2007. Now, in early 2008, Attorney and poker player Lee Rousso is challenging the State’s online gambling ban in court!
So Washington state passed a law that makes it a felony to play online poker. But there weren’t too many direct concerns from online poker players … because the law it self — with $0 provided for enforcement — seemed to have no teeth.
Well guess what, it’s getting uglier than you can imagine … with state gambling officials telling websites that talk about poker that they are breaking the law. Excuse me? Check out this article in the Seattle Times. (Normally I’d say, thanks, Easycure, for the link. But in this case I feel like it’s more appropriate to say, “I’m sorry — deeply sorry.”)
“It’s what the feds would call ‘aiding and abetting,’ ” says the director of the state’s gambling commission, Rick Day. “Telling people how to gamble online, where to do it, giving a link to it — that’s all obviously enabling something that is illegal.”
…
Gambling officials told me The Seattle Times may be afoul of the law because we print a poker how-to column, “Card Shark,” by gambler Daniel Negreanu. He sometimes tells readers to hone their skills at online casinos. And at the end of each column is a Web address, fullcontactpoker.com, where readers can comment.
…
“My suggestion to you is to remove from your paper any advice about online gambling and any links to illegal sites,” Day said.
So wow … who knew poker, and poker bloggers, and mainstream newspapers could get to this point so quick?
All the more reason to make pre-emptive moves in Texas. I’m being serious when I say poker needs to find itself a law firm. (One that presumably will do it for the goodness of the cause and the resultant pubicity said firm will get.) TBR recently recommended bringing the ACLU in on a similar (but unrelated) legal issue. But I’m not so sure poker players want an organization that doesn’t understand/love the game to be leading this very important (at least to a few tens of million Americans) battle.
@BJNemeth or perhaps ahead of his time? Thinking he might have a very different experience today.
RT @DanFleyshman: When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.
Great crAAKKer post by @Grange95: http://t.co/KcaobMfP) I wish I could write like Michael. Maybe someday. #poker #onlinegaming
