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Washington State Ban on Online Poker UpheldFri, May 16th, 2008 @ 12:00am Lee Rousso presented his arguments yesterday in court regarding the unconstitutionality of the state of Washington's ban on playing online poker, but the judge did not agree, so the ban making playing online poker a Class C felony remains in force. The state ban, which was passed in 2006, prohibits Internet-based card games such as Texas Hold'em that poker players in Washington have used to qualify for large prize pool tournaments played both live (like the World Series of Poker) and online. Other persons convicted of a Class C felony in the state of Washington include those guilty of possessing child pornography, stalking, drive by shootings, threatening the governor, family abandonment, heroin possession, unauthorized abortions or committing grand theft auto. The same punishment for playing online poker has been criticized as excessive by many state residents. Lee Rousso, lawyer, former gubernatorial candidate and Poker Players Alliance (PPA) regional director for the state of Washington, originally filed the lawsuit on the first day of the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event, and has traveled a long legal road to finally get his day in court. In defense of the ban, Lawmakers claimed the ban was passed to make the state compliant with the Federal Wire Act that prohibits online sports gambling. 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. Just before the hearing, Rousso told Phyllis Fletcher of KUOW NEWS that should he lose in court after his arguments were heard, that he would appeal the verdict. After the negative verdict was delivered, Rousso remained optimistic, saying, "Even though it was a loss today, I still think some good things will come of it." The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) had organized a rally immediately following the hearing to show their support for Rousso's efforts. Approximately fifty people, including professional poker players Barry Greenstein and Andy Bloch, attended the rally along with a number of media outlets. Read Related Articles:
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Keikoan Captures Harvey's Lake Tahoe WSOPC Championship This week marked the finale of the biggest annual tournament series in Northern Nevada, the WSOP Circuit championship at Harvey's Lake Tahoe. While the Main Event saw only a modest turnout, it did boast of a tough final table, and a WSOP bracelet owner as the eventual champion.
WSOP Main Event Champ Joe Cada to Appear on Letterman The poker world will receive some late night attention tonight as "The Kid" Joe Cada, the youngest champion in the four decade history of the World Series of Poker Main Event, takes a seat next to embattled talk show host David Letterman.
First Korean Champ of Asia Pacific Poker Tour Crowned in Cebu Another stop on the Asia Pacific Poker Tour is in the books, this time it's the APPT Cebu in the Philippines, and for the very first time a Korean player has come out on top.
Pollack Done as Commish of World Series of Poker Just three days after crowning Joe Cada as the 2009 Main Event champion, officially closing the special 40th anniversary run of the World Series of Poker, Jeffrey Pollack has resigned his post as Commissioner of the WSOP.
Durrrr Signs as Team Full Tilt's Youngest Member Tom "durrrr" Dwan is the newest member of Team Full Tilt, the online site's highest level of affiliation. At 23, Dwan is the youngest of the now 14-person team. The high stakes cash phenomenon was nominated for induction this year into the Poker Hall of Fame until the Hall of Fame Governing Council decided he was too young to meet the "has stood the test of time" qualification.
Joe Cada Becomes Youngest World Series of Poker Main Event Champ History was made early Tuesday morning in Las Vegas as 21-year-old Joe Cada outlasted Darvin Moon in heads-up play to claim the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event bracelet and more than $8.5 million.
Moon and Cada Heads-Up, Ivey 7th at WSOP Main Event Final Table After a marathon session at the most esteemed table in the poker world, a 21-year-old and a logger are set to go one-on-one for the World Series of Poker Main Event bracelet.
PokerStars Launches New UK and Ireland Poker Tour PokerStars.com has announced the start of a new poker tour with stops throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. The UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) will kick off in Galway, Ireland in mid-December, and the first event in the UK will be held in Manchester in February.
Peerless Media Agrees to Purchase World Poker Tour Enterprises According to a Monday press release, WPT Enterprises Inc., mothership of the World Poker Tour, is now the rightful property of Peerless Media, Ltd., subsidiary of online giant PartyGaming.
Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho Hit the Amazing Race Rail After surviving six legs of the Amazing Race by the skin of their teeth, poker pros Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho were finally eliminated in the CBS reality show's most recently aired episode. Michelle and Ho, the last women standing in the 2008 and 2007 World Series of Poker Main Events, gave reality television fans another chance to watch poker personalities compete away from the felt. Annie Duke garnered quite a following earlier in the year on another reality show competition, NBC's Celebrity Apprentice. |
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