Online Casinos

Supreme Court of Washington hears case on Online Poker

There is a state law in Washington which makes involving in online gambling, both casino and poker, a crime. This law has been challenged by The Washington State Branch of the Poker Players Alliance. From the trial court and appeals court, the case came before Washington Supreme Court. Mr. Lee who is the state director led the arguments on behalf of the Poker Players Alliance.

Under Commerce Act, Mr. Lee challenged the Washington state law. As per this act, no state can allow the legislation which differentiates against a part of any industry. According to Mr. Lee the Washington legislation differentiates against the online gambling industry. If a player plays blackjack or poker in a brick and mortar casino, then it is regarded as lawful activity but the player playing the same games online is regarded as a crime. Mr. Lee indicated that only persons who will be benefiting from making online gambling a crime were the tribal casinos which are regulated by the state.

Mr. Jerry who is the Assistant Attorney General represented the State of Washington. Mr. Jerry informed the court that online gambling cannot be regulated and is therefore dangerous. Mr. Thomas indicated that it was not enough for the state to say that online gambling cannot be regulated. They will have to prove in front of the court that online gambling cannot be regulated. If they are not able to prove this, then it will be their responsibility to offer the online gamblers with a regulated environment.

Mr. Thomas said that the state didn’t tried to prove that online gambling could not be regulated neither in the appeals court and nor in the trial court. Mr. Thomas offered examples of online gambling being regulated in different parts of the world. He also added that Washington permitted regulated online horse betting. So, the claims presented by Mr. Jerry are not valid.

The judges inquired Mr. Jerry. The questions which they asked showed that they are also not convinced with the reasons for the favoritism between the online casino and land casinos. Justice Gerry said that different forms of gambling are permitted by the state and discrimination against the online casinos might be a generational thing.