Washington state court upholds ban on online poker
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Poker Players Alliance Washington state director and attorney Lee Rousso attempted to challenge the law making playing online poker a felony in the state on Thursday, but the law was upheld by the judge hearing the case.
The ban there has been in effect since 2006 and will now likely remain on the books unless an appeal of the case is successful, or new legislation is passed to end the band.
According to pokerpages.com:
Rousso says the ban doesn’t put the state in compliance with the Federal Wire Act as it claims to do. He claims that instead, it protects Washington’s own in-state gambling industry, which includes live card rooms and casinos that contribute to state revenues, from online poker competition. Thus it violates the Commerce Clause contained within the constitution which prohibits individual states from enacting laws that discriminate against interstate businesses.
State attorneys expressed their pleasure with the judge’s decision to uphold the online ban.
A PPA rally was held before the case was heard in court. Pro poker players Barry Greenstein and Andy Bloch appeared at the rally, which attracted the attention of local television.
