| | |  | Last Updated: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 |  | | | Washington State Farewells Online Casino Gambling
- Sunday, 21 May 2006
All eyes in the online casino industry were focused on Washington State last week following a decision to ban online casino gambling in just one month’s time. The move is made possible by Bill 6613, a piece of legislation which upgrades the penalties operators and casino players are subject to in the state. Instead of being termed as a “gross misdemeanour” penalties for those found responsible for operating online casino sites will become much tougher, equalling those meted out to those who commit Class C felonies..
Previously Louisiana had been the state to watch for its attempts to ban the online casino industry. However, the decision of Washington State’s legislators has ensured that the state is firmly in the spotlight now, regardless of the level of support for the new legislation. According to some locals, many residents oppose the idea that online casino gambling constitutes a state felony. And while the reasoning behind the bill is the state government’s interest in upholding and protecting social values, some online casino fans point out that motivations could come from very different sources.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Jim Honeyford, has received his own form of sponsorship in the past from some of the state’s most wealthy land-based gambling establishments. Some believe that Honeyford’s decision to take on the online casino industry could be nothing more than an attempt to restrict the competition. The online casino legislation is due to be implemented before the end of the year.
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