Online Gambling Not Only Illegal, Now Also Unmentionable

from the creeping-power-of-the-state dept

Thu, Jun 15th 2006 11:02am — Joseph Weisenthal

Apparently, the state of Washington doesn't feel that classifying online gamblers as felons is draconian enough, as it's now looking to crack down on internet speech as well. The first victim of the new law is not charged with gambling itself, but of maintaining a website that discussed, reviewed and linked to online gambling sites. So far he has received only a cease and desist and a warning that criminal charges may follow. What's interesting and telling about enforcement of the law is that the Seattle Times columnist (linked-to above) had no problem with the law until he realized it could be applied to speech as well. But the state's actions shouldn't really be much of a surprise, considering the broad trend of various governments looking to limit the right to link as well as advertise objectionable activity, such as gambling. Clearly, the more government regulates online activity, the more derivative activity, such as writing or linking, will be under threat.

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37 Comments

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claire rand, 15 Jun 2006 @ 11:26am

ha..
thats gunna be fun for the big search engines... if there is going to be a *huge* list (and it will grow) of 'non-items' and stuff you have to pretend isn't there.

well at least things would have to be classified accuratly.

btw, can we make it illegal to use popups and other irritating adverts online?
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- Yet another Anonymous Coward (profile), 15 Jun 2006 @ 11:43am
  
  Re: ha..
  Sure, you can make pop-ups and irritating adverts illegal. On a state-by-state or locaty basis, too. One area might considre an advert irritating and another may not. And, it will have no actual effect either. Do we need a giant US firewall system between the servers and the users? Or between each and every system?
  
  So, in WA it is illegal to post a link to a gambling site. Does that only apply if the server is in WA? Or, if you put the link on from a WA based PC? Or, if you called the sysadmin from WA and requested the link?
  
  BTW, I've seen this before in TN. They cracked down even on office football pools because the constitution made all gambling illegal. At least until they passed a state lottery.
  
  What kind of gambling are they trying to legalize in WA?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2006 @ 12:38pm
    
    Re: Re: ha..
    They have a lottery, poker so whats left?
    Maybe they want to bring in bingo
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  - DaveyB, 15 Jun 2006 @ 12:46pm
    
    Re: Re: ha..
    No, not trying to legalize some form of gambling. The sponsor of the law supports gaming by Indian tribes.
    It's about protecting one part of gambling.
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    - some dude, 15 Jun 2006 @ 1:46pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: ha..
      The sponsor of the law supports gaming by Indian tribes.
      
      That's the Native American people's way of getting back at us for stealing their land, giving them crap (with some turkey) in return and then even instating a "We-stole-your-land-now-get-the-hell-out-and-have-some-turkey" day somewhere at the end of November...
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claire rand, 15 Jun 2006 @ 11:54am

blah
actually figured a 'ban' on annoying things wus about as practical as banning online gambling. change the name... work around the ban, the net has shown itself to be *very* good at getting round such bans.
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john, 15 Jun 2006 @ 12:28pm

Microsoft Look out
Microsoft beter look out they produce software that can be used for gaming. Both Windows & IE are tools of this illigal activity.
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me, 15 Jun 2006 @ 1:24pm

"protecting one part of gambling" reads kind of funny. I think it is more that they want to monopolize the activity. If you want to gamble, you have to take your money to the people that put money in the pockets of elected officials. I am not from washington, but am curious as to what the new laws say in regards to horse betting and fantasy sports online? There are several websites based in the U.S. that offer this from of gambling to the american public.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2006 @ 1:49pm

Filters
I don't expect it to be long before the entire Internet will be filtered by the US government and any material that politicians don't like will be blocked. Soon Googling George Bush will come up with around 4 articles about how great he is as the only results...
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- kerry, 15 Jun 2006 @ 2:28pm
  
  Re: Filters
  Hi Anonymous Coward,
  I have what sounds to be kind of a stupid question. I read everything here and more often than not agree almost completely with the things you say. I am wondering if you might tell me of a few links where you get your info besides here.
  Thanks
  Kerry
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  - Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2006 @ 2:59pm
    
    Re: Re: Filters
    I think the government has that list. Maybe they'll give you a copy.
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- JimAdkins, 15 Jun 2006 @ 3:31pm
  
  Re: Filters
  I totally agree. Before we know it M$ Vista will have the "U$ Firewall" installed with little buttons on the other end so that politicians can add and remove the content that they think the American public needs to see.
  
  My money, as usual, is on the internet getting around it. They always have, and I believe they always will.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2006 @ 3:50pm
    
    Re: Re: Filters
    It may turn out to be like the war on drugs: A lot of people will continue to find ways to access illicit information, like they do illicit drugs, but a lot of people will also go to prison for it and another multi-billion dollar enforcement industry will be created.
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Kerry, 15 Jun 2006 @ 2:23pm

Don't these guys have more important things to worry about??
This kind of crap is why I pay taxes??
Is there a way to opt out of taxes and such nonsense?
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2006 @ 2:23pm

ohmg AC you are so insiteful
i agree it is inevitabel!
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Kerry, 15 Jun 2006 @ 2:23pm

Don't these guys have more important things to worry about??
This kind of crap is why I pay taxes??
Is there a way to opt out of taxes and such nonsense?
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John, 15 Jun 2006 @ 10:23pm

Ugly
This is so ugly, Indian gaming is very corrupting, DIRTY INDIAN CA$H.
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somebody higher up in government than anyone in wa, 15 Jun 2006 @ 10:32pm

Don't forget who you politicians work for
Don't forget who you right winged religious politicians work for. It's okay for you to cheat on your wives with people in your government office, but you'll spend three months prosecuting and writing up stupid laws about gambling.

I hope everyone finds out all of your dirty little secrets....
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- JD, 15 Jun 2006 @ 11:33pm
  
  Re: Don't forget who you politicians work for
  Who do they work for? Look into the campaign contributions the "real life" casino owners have made. Then you'll find the answer.
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Peter, 15 Jun 2006 @ 11:17pm

Encouraging Illegal Activity is Illegal
I don't understand whats the case with society nowadays, It seems that everything is permissible. How long is it going to be before someone starts defending websites that review and link to child pornography websites? All in the name of free speech... I believe its time for some discipline.
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- patrick, 7 Jun 2007 @ 1:29am
  
  Re: Encouraging Illegal Activity is Illegal
  I agree, Peter - child porn is a heck of a lot better target than online gambling. As for underage gambling, where in the heck are the parents - and why do they not know where their credit cards are and how they are being used?
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TJ, 16 Jun 2006 @ 12:15am

Blue blue blue
It seems that everything is permissible

No, quite the contrary, this idiotic law .. along with the equally idiotic WA anti-smoking law ... only proves that to the contrary, NOTHING is permissible to some but milque-toast. Some people just can't BEAR to see others minding their own business, doing what they want, and 98% of the time hurting noone. That's the critical point: hurting noone. Don't bother trotting out your statistics and studies about gambling. Them with the gold makes the rules.

I *never* gamble. Ever. I'm just tired of endless bluenose "laws". Discipline? It possible to have online gambling with discipline. This law isn't about discipline. It's about strict conformity to what a minority is right. Regardless of what your fellow citizens thing, who were also born with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Probably because you yourself have no life, and want to "share".

How freaking Victorian are we going to get? Gambling is legal enough when it feeds state coffers, isn't it? How many casinos in WA? How many places that sell lottery tickets? But once the revenue is going out-of-state, suddenly it's righteousness time?!

This is a great opportunity to see *free speech* used to bring down this knee-jerk law. And keep the internet from becoming the land-of-the-formerly-free the busybodies have made out of meatspace.
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Anonymous Washingtonian, 16 Jun 2006 @ 1:09am

It is the lotto - stupid
The state want's exclusive rights to all non native American casino/gambling dollars in the state.

Every dollar spent in an online casino, is a dollar not spent on playing the lottery games - in their eyes.

This is only about money...
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Alexander the Great, 16 Jun 2006 @ 1:33am

Don't worry guys...
An ancient greek saying goes "The man that does the same mistake twice is not wise". Each one complaining on any forum should think about who he/she voted for. I have made stupid choices myself but seeing GW getting a second term was something that I could never (I mean ever) think possible...
These things you complain about are common even in the most advanced central african countries, like the Republic of Kongo or Greece for example...
In my country the state made gambling illegal just to be easier for the state owned company to introduce a dozen of new gambling games and lotteries. Now as many people who have a gambling problem lose their money but it's not a problem anymore cause the state gets the money.
Those who think that this kind of laws are written to protect the people (from themselves??) are obviously naive and most of the times plain stupid...
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Dagon, 16 Jun 2006 @ 1:56am

Americans are idiots. America is becoming a nation of complete and utter fantasyland lallaaa idiots.
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Simon, 16 Jun 2006 @ 2:02am

america wants to become just like china
i dont know about you, but does this sound like somthing that would happen in china? My point being that America looks down on Chinas governemtns restrictions on their populations internet usage... isnt this simply doing the same thing? And is it not a restriction upon free spheech?
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Not really Bob, 16 Jun 2006 @ 7:27am

You are to stupid
Once again the current Administraton wants to tell you what is moraly acceptabe and how you can spend your money. Let people spend their money however they want to. Make the Online Casinos pay for the rehab programs for those who need it. Tax the crap out of them.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Jun 2006 @ 12:05pm

Hurry up and DIE, stupid fat American Cattle.

MOo! I love my Holy Father Governmints!
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noone, 20 Jun 2006 @ 12:13pm

Unbelievable... first illegal wire taps recording citizens .. which hasnt done a damn thing except break our constitutional rights... and now infringing on right to free speech... if we dont start standing up to this b.s. then its gonna get worse and worse...
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Barry, 20 Jun 2006 @ 12:55pm

Get rid of the Washington State politicians who su
Just use your power as a citizen and vote them out. The new ant-gambling on the web law is utter nonsense, and shows how hypocritical our government is. If the governement wants to shut down gambling, it should do so everywhere, including the state-run lotteries. Otherwise, get smart and tax it. All that lost revenue...
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Jeff B, 22 Jun 2006 @ 8:40am

Washington internet gambling law
Today is June 22 and I was online to read the Washington Bill about internet gambling Senate Bill 6613. While at the State of Washington site two different very interesting ads came up on the page, one about internet gambling casinos and a link to take you there and one about secret information to dominate internet poker games. Both appear to me to be illegal under the new law, both came through the ads by google section, and both were on the Washingtongovernment site in a state that has just made it a felony to transmet such info. At this time I'm glad to be in Oregon but with all the two faced hypocrites in government everywhere who knows how long that will last. Vote out all politicians of any kind that take away your freedoms. Work for term limits. Work for public financing of campaigns. Make politicians responsibles for their votes. Cheers.
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Dan, 27 Jun 2006 @ 6:39am

Nothing to do with morality
This law has nothing to do with morality. It has nothing to do with the state trying to legislate morality. People who are saying that are obviously trying to push their own agenda. Or, they themselves have been duped into believing this is a faith based initiative.

This has everything to do with the state trying to protect their cash flow, into Indian casino's and the state lottery (the state approved gambling method).

I agree with the majority of this board that this law is hypocritical, impossible to enforce, and that it trounces on free speach rights. I also believe that it will eventually be overturned and written off as a dumb idea.

Please leave the religious right out of this one. They take a HUGE beating for a lot of the stupid stuff that they really ARE responsible for.
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luminouscarl, 5 Jul 2006 @ 6:28am

Gambling Crackdown
Internet gambling has posed an unusually difficult enforcement problem. Gambling purveyors have been able to locate in Latin America or the Caribbean and avoid the long arm of the law. They have also found that they can avoid regulation or fair gambling practices in these locations. Many internet gambling sights are fraudulant. If one wants to stop this fleecing of the American publiic you are left with two choices. Draconian enforcment measurements aimed at those located in your jurisdiction (gamblers and promoters) or just legalize it and regulate the casinos in your jurisdiction. For inside information on this topic read my blog about working in an offshore internet casino. http://www.carlhuttononline.com/
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Bill Monroe, 3 Feb 2007 @ 12:11am

I-Gaming debacle
For the best article on this subject, read "Unintended Consequences of a Monetary Control Scheme" by a U.S. lawyer and gambling writer named Mark Schopper, who wrote the book on Internet Gambling. The article is available on the Internet for free, just search for it by its title. He predicted this would happen in 2001, and the genius of his article is he also predicted the consequences, which will be devastating to the banking system because of e-cash, which money launderers will love. The U.S. Government is so ill informed it is scarry.
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sivajirao s/o mgr rao, 30 Jul 2007 @ 11:59pm

gambling
wat is gambling bvnj.hgjjkk
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Randy, 7 Oct 2007 @ 8:23pm

so is online gambling illegal in washington or not?
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David, 19 Feb 2008 @ 4:37pm

Online gambling
Google Answers put together a pretty comprehensive directory-of-directories of online gaming sites in Europe, Asia and elsewhere in the world:

Directories of online gambling sites

From the looks of it, getting a handle on all the sites out there would be a major undertaking for law enforcement, or anyone, for that matter.
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