[ackbleh]

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Summary: HB 1243 makes there be no crime to play online poker for recreational purposes. HB 2127 changes the felony part of the law into a misdemeanor.

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Passing HB 2127 is actually the worst possible outcome. I would strongly prefer that nothing pass.

Right now the felony aspect of Washington law is a major embarrassment. It is so unreasonable it makes opponents of internet gaming look really bad. As long as playing internet poker is a felony, repeal bills like HB 1243 are going to keep coming up. Eventually Washington could stop being a prohibition state.

HB 2127 would solve our opponents' political problem. Internet poker would remain a misdemeanor forever. That's a tragedy because Washington is by far the best state to use for building a UIGEA prosecution against a pure poker room.

Who cares whether playing online poker is a felony or merely a serious misdemeanor? It's not like anyone is actually going to be prosecuted. Clearly the state has no intention of enforcing this law.

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This entire thread seems to be full of recreational online poker players who think it's ok for it to be a felony to play poker online professionally. Am I missing something? Because as far as I can tell, the bill you're calling 'the solution' is the worst possible outcome for the same reason that you dislike the alternative: If playing 'recreationally' is made legal, nobody will repeal the felony law for 'professional' poker players.

Playing poker is playing poker. It shouldn't be legal if you suck and illegal if you're good.