Washington is the only in the U.S. where playing online poker is a felony. But state Rep. Sherry Appleton recently introduced a bill, H1114, that would authorize and regulate online poker. Curtis Woodard, director of the Washington Internet Poker Initiative, said Appleton has “cosponsored and supported several measures to undo the criminal prohibition of online poker since the 2006 law was passed.”
Woodard noted, “For too long, the state has taken a harsh stand against, and then turned a blind eye to, internet poker. The state allows us to play poker in tribal casinos and licensed card rooms, but considers us felons if we play from the privacy of our homes on our computers. This is not only silly, it is ineffective, as players continue to play on sites operated from outside the state’s reach, and without any real consumer protections.”
Appleton’s bill would allow two levels of licensing: One for network operators and one for consumer-facing card rooms. Costs of regulation would be covered by licensing fees. The state gaming commission would determine revenue taxation.
Woodard noted the legislation would give players “access to the best available platforms, with a wide variety of ‘skins’ from which to choose. It means the card rooms will compete with each other for players, and those players will reap the benefits of that competition.”
