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Speaking of Washington (State that is)

By jlynch on May 31, 2006.

Slashdot reports, that the Seattle PI reports, that:

Beginning next month [June 7th], Washington residents who play poker or make other types of wagers on the Internet will be committing a Class C felony, equivalent under the law to possessing child pornography, threatening the governor or torturing an animal. Although the head of the state Gambling Commission says it is unlikely that individual online gamblers will be targeted for arrest, the new law carries stiff penalties: as much as five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.'

So, poker is equivalent to "child pornography, threatening the governor or torturing an animal" ... I always thought that Ed Brayton was a shifty s.o.b.

And if they are not likely to target individual gamblers, who is the law aimed at? The marmots who, after a long day torturing cats, like to unwind with a few hands of Hold Em?

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They could publish a list of offenders and where they live (thus making it easier to get a night of cards going).

Which would be okay with them, since the whole point of this law is to keep all that gambling money in the state.

We've heard it all in the fight to legalize slots at Maryland race tracks. There's the "gambling is wicked" crowd, but the loudest voices in favor weren't saying "gambling is wholesome", they were saying, "all that money is going to Delware!"