This is getting out of hand

[Renegade]

Internet gaming guide shut down in Washington state

A Washington state online gaming guide was shut down by its operator recently despite the fact no illegal wagers were being accepted by the site. According to officials, the website violated Senate Bill 6613, the new law passed in the state last month which made online gambling a felony and prohibits using the Internet to transmit gambling related information.

Tom Boutte, the Bellingham, Wash., man who ran the site, is a former Wal-Mart employee who launched IntegrityCasinoGuide.com as a casino review. The guide advised readers on the best Internet casinos via articles, links and advertisements.

Boutte didn't think his site was in violation of Senate Bill 6613 since no actual wagering was taking place. However, after reading an article in the Bellingham Herald where officials said IntegrityCasinoGuide.com was in fact illegal, Boutte shut his site down and is now attempting to find an out of state buyer to take it off his hands.

Users of the site will now find a "This Account Has Been Suspended" message written across the top of the screen after logging in, along with a prompt that urges players to "Please contact the billing/support department as soon as possible."

Rick Day, the director of the state's gambling commission, said the content featured on Boutte's site assisted people in committing a felony because it provided guidance on where and how to gamble online through the use of promotional links and articles, which itself warrants a criminal charge according to the new law.

Similarly, publications containing regular "how-to" poker columns, such as The Seattle Times which features "Card Shark" by poker pro Daniel Negreanu, could fall victim to the new regulations if links or online gambling information is included in the article.

To avoid any unpleasant encounters with the law, Day suggests editors remove any advice or links relating to online gambling from the columns.

THIS IS BS!!!!


These little hilter bastards are so worried about online gambling yet Porno and child porno is all over the internet and they could care less about it!!!!


Please tell me I'm not alone here!!!!!!

[Tdoggy]

What a load of crap. The USA just keeps on taking rights away from people. Wasn't it bad enough when it all started with credit cards being declined at casinos and sportsbooks. Then paypal jumped on the band wagon and declared no "Gambling transactions" for the USA!!! And now this crap....What is the world coming to... You are borrowing money to pay for items from your credit card and when the bill comes you pay it. But no gambling!! lol God for bid you want to place a bet or place a wager at an online casino!!! The Credit card company is telling you what you can and can not spend your money on. What a crock!!! This is getting out of hand...

p.s. Did i just read an e-mail from Intercasino that says Congress is trying to ban online poker now???? Good Lord!!!

Internet Porn and child porn are way out of hand, I totally agree. Any 5 year old kid these days can sit at a computer and access some kind of internet porn in a matter of seconds these days...Very SAD!!

Anybody see the specials on t.v. these days with the under cover people busting these online Pervs showing up at the "setup" house expecting to have sex with minors...Horrible.

[Renegade]

Anybody see the specials on t.v. these days with the under cover people busting these online Pervs showing up at the "setup" house expecting to have sex with minors...Horrible.

That is on the evening news!!

Rick Day, the director of the state's gambling commission, said the content featured on Boutte's site assisted people in committing a felony because it provided guidance on where and how to gamble online through the use of promotional links and articles, which itself warrants a criminal charge according to the new law.

Similarly, publications containing regular "how-to" poker columns, such as The Seattle Times which features "Card Shark" by poker pro Daniel Negreanu, could fall victim to the new regulations if links or online gambling information is included in the article.

So it's safe to assume by the quote above that public Libraries will be violating the law if they have gambling books!!
Poker Magazines are against the law according to the above.
And any newsletters coming from a gambling portal will also be against the law!!
Even a newsletter from this great site!!

Wonder how many will be arrested and sent to prison because they have movies that have gambling scenes in them!!

Or sent to prison because they we're watching the World Poker Series on ESPN!!!!!!

I swear these politicians need a kick in their arse so hard they'd have to drop their pants to chew their food!!

[Mousey]

I'm hoping the public outrage will cause some changes. I mean, come oooonnn!

[GrandMaster]

What happened to the freedom of speech?

[dickens1298]

Some comments that are more contrarian (at least - to this forum).

First, the initial post in this thread noted that the OPERATOR decided to shut down the site. He wasn't coerced nor forced, but merely did so out of fear. It was his choice not to do so, pure and simple. And for those posters so eager to support his web site, the article does mention that he has site up for sale...

This also isn't too dissimilar to credit card companies prohibiting the use of their cards on gambling web sites. Did the online gaming community raise a similar uproar?

Personally, I'm in the category of those individuals who do not care one way or the other. Neither my livelihood nor my entertainment is solely dependent upon online gaming, and I find it ironic that some who would admit to a gambling problem would also be the most vitriolic in their protests against this legislation.

Instead of protesting this legislation, and using such rhetorical arguments as "why doesn't the gov't pursue online molesters instead" and "this is a trampling of our individual rights", the online gaming community might be better served to propose ways in which online gaming can be better regulated. Rogue casinos, age verification, seized accounts - these are all issues that plague online casinos, but which most players seem to shrug off and indicate that it's not a problem (until it becomes THEIR problem - much like a recession is only a depression when YOU are the one out of work...). By seeking a resolution to these issues, the online gaming community has a much better chance of surviving.

[dominique]

http://archives.seattletimes.nwsourc...query=gambling



http://archives.seattletimes.nwsourc...query=gambling

[Renegade]

Originally Posted by dickens1298

Personally, I'm in the category of those individuals who do not care one way or the other. Neither my livelihood nor my entertainment is solely dependent upon online gaming, and I find it ironic that some who would admit to a gambling problem would also be the most vitriolic in their protests against this legislation.

Are you saying that because I oppose the Federal Government in overstepping their bounds that I have a gambling problem??

You really have no idea of what these bills will do to our rights!!
You already admitted that you could care less about online gambling, that's fine, but I think you need to take a closer look at this issue as it goes beyond gambling.

These bills impact a hell of alot more then just online gambling!
If your not part of the solution then your part of the problem.

[dickens1298]

Originally Posted by Renegade

Are you saying that because I oppose the Federal Government in overstepping their bounds that I have a gambling problem??

You really have no idea of what these bills will do to our rights!!
You already admitted that you could care less about online gambling, that's fine, but I think you need to take a closer look at this issue as it goes beyond gambling.

These bills impact a hell of alot more then just online gambling!
If your not part of the solution then your part of the problem.

Easy, Renegade. My words were that SOME posters here have already admitted to a gambling problem, and yet have claimed that such legislation is unjust. I was not implying you by any stretch of the imagination.

Ok - so let's take a look at this issue "beyond" gambling. According to various sources inside and outside of the US, online gambling has been identified as the primary catalyst for the rise in gambling addicts. So if you're Joe Public, wouldn't your reaction be supportive of such legislation, primarily because others seem to be harmed if such legislation isn't passed? And what amendment is being violated if such legislation were to pass?

Put another way - if gambling addiction is a concern with legislators, and if the unregulated nature of the industry is another factor in this legislation, what have YOU done - aside from complaining here - to combat such legislation? Have you sought to purchase the gambling web site (the closure of which kicked off this thread) and challenge the legality of the Washington law in court? Have you spearheaded efforts to regulate the industry, cleaning up such issues as underage gambling and rogue casinos? Or have you preached to the same choir?

I would argue that the last option is essentially the same as sitting back and doing nothing.

[Renegade]

what have YOU done - aside from complaining here - to combat such legislation?

I have emailed my State reps on this issue a total of 17 times since I have learned of it.
I have been trying to spread the word about this and get others involved so they may also email, call, or write thier state reps.
I have gotten my local Newspaper involved in this.

As far as buying that site, I don't need it, I have my own casino.
And will have my own poker room in serveral months.

As far as the deeper aspects of these bills???

Again, I take it you have not read these bills, or if you have, you failed to read between the lines and see the big picture.

Either way, Im not going to get into a discussion on this issue with you because You've clearly stated that you don't care either way and I'm not going to waste my time beating my head against the wall.

I'm not trying to pick a fight here, but honestly, if you believe that these bills are designed to help online gamblers with a gambling addiction, ......Well, we'll just leave it at that.