By
Dan
At the national level, legislation for the legalization of online poker in the United States is gaining steam. Congressmen Barney Frank and Ron Paul have introduced HR 5767, which would essentially block any effectiveness that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act would have. In Washington State, however, things aren’t as rosy. SB 6613, signed into law in March, 2006, makes playing online poker within the state a Class C felony. Online poker players face the same punishments as child molesters and rapists. It’s one of the harshest online gambling laws in the United States. On Thursday, May 15th, the Poker Players Alliance will be holding a rally at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, Washington that will coincide with a hearing by Lee Rousso, the PPA’s Washington State Director. All are encouraged to attend.
PPA Executive Director John Pappas commented that Rousso is holding a hearing regarding the “constitutionality of the ridiculous law that makes criminals out of online poker players. The punishment should be reserved for rapists and child molesters. The PPA is organizing a rally on May 15th on the courthouse steps where Mr. Rousso is having his hearing.” Here’s what you need to know about the hearing:
Where: Maleng Regional Justice Center, 401 – 4th Ave. North, Kent, WA 98032-4429
When: May 15th: 10:30am – 11:30am PT
Who: Barry Greenstein and concerned PPA members
Until he recently dropped out, Rousso was running for Governor of Washington State in order to overturn the internet gambling law. He announced that he’d be running on January 14th on KIRO radio in Seattle. In response to a preliminary ruling in the case by Judge Mary E. Roberts of the King County Superior Court, Rousso commented, “The judge agreed with me about 99%, the state about 1%. In layman's terms, it was a rout.”
He commented on the PPA website further, “From a purely legal standpoint, I think I have about a 99% chance of winning on the Commerce Clause challenge. The State's primary defense will likely be that I don't have ‘standing’ to bring the suit. I can cite numerous cases saying I should get my day in court. The State will no doubt cite cases suggesting the opposite conclusion. I think that will be the real battleground. If I win in Washington, I will look for opportunities to knock down other state laws. It seems inevitable that the United States Supreme Court will eventually have to decide whether the states can regulate internet gambling.”
Class C felonies in Washington State carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. This means that the 6.5 million people who currently call Washington home are shut out of the online gambling market. Meanwhile, land-based casinos in the state have exploded, including a move a year ago to allow the state’s 27 Indian tribes to increase the number of slot machines each is allowed to have. The state’s lottery just released a press release encouraging Washington residents to spend part of their economic stimulus checks on a raffle ticket for a potential million dollar payout: “The IRS has spoken. Your tax rebate stimulus checks are on the way! So what are you going to do with your money? Here’s a thought: spend $20 on a Raffle ticket, and you may get $1 million back!”
Greenstein commented to PocketFives.com, "The PPA was looking for a high profile professional to speak and they asked me if I would. I have lent myself to helping the PPA at times because these are important principles of freedom we are fighting for. I trust myself to be a representative for the poker community and I'm afraid if I leave it to someone else, they won't do as good a job as I will." His association with the PPA has given him a key insight into the issue: "The realization that big brother has come to tell people what they can do in the privacy of their own homes should scare us into action. And the politicians and others will say that they need to help legislate morality, which is also ridiculous. And I don't trust their intentions. It is often just a question of money and votes."
An action message sent out by the PPA on Tuesday encourages its members who would like to attend to wear red and come equipped with pro-poker signs. The PPA held a similar rally in Massachusetts, successfully quelling a law that would have made online poker illegal in the Commonwealth. The legislation in Massachusetts was introduced by Governor Deval Patrick and is currently tabled. The organization hopes for a similar outcome in Kent, which is about 20 miles from Seattle.
Poker players at the Maleng Regional Justice Center will be joined by poker pro Barry Greenstein. It’s important to show up in force if you live in the area. Visit www.pokerplayersalliance.org for more information.