Washington D.C. has been spitting out anti-gambling rhetoric for the last little bit. Bills aimed at making various forms of online gaming illegal have been bandied about and are going through the various steps to becoming law; Senators and Representatives are constantly preaching about the damaging effects of gambling, but through it all very little, if any, of the legislation has actually become law.

It seems almost ironic then, that the “conservative” Eastcoast was beaten to the punch by the laid back, supposedly more liberal Westcoast.

Washington State Senator Margarita Prentice, the chair of the Ways and Means Committee — responsible for developing operating and capital budgets and tax and pension policy — introduced Bill SB 6613 and referred it to the Senate Labor, Commerce, Research and Development Committee, to which she also is a member, on January 17, 2006. The piece of legislation would add to the Gambling Act and aimed to outlaw the running or using of online gambling.

The Bill quickly gained momentum and was offered to the same Committee on February 3, 2006.

According to Washingtonvotes.org, “The Substitute offered to the Senate Labor, Commerce, Research and Development Committee on February 3, 2006, to add the internet and telecommunications systems to the list of means over which a person is prohibited from knowingly transmitting or receiving wagers or other gambling information.”

It also increased the severity of the punishment for offenders. Online betting was moved up to a Class C felony from a misdemeanor, which would net violators a maximum of 10 years in jail and also prevented the Lottery Commission from offering any games of chance online or games of chance that would require a player to play a game of chance using an electronic device.

The amendment, or substitute, to increase severity and prevent the Lottery Commission from offering online chance games, passed on Valentine’s Day 2006 with a 44-0 voice vote.

It was referred to the House Commerce and Labor Committee that then proceeded to pass it by a vote of 93-5 on March 2, 2006. In order to allow the substitute for electronic gaming devices, it still needed 60 percent support of the legislature vote.

It was signed by Governor Christine Gregoire on March 28, 2006 and added the prohibitions and restrictions to the gambling act and would take effect on June 7, 2006.

Many people are questioning why the bill was introduced under the radar and are furious that the punishment for online betting will be equivalent, according to law, to what a sexual predator or an armed robber receives.

No one has discussed how the law will be enforced, but an avalanche of controversy is set to sweep down if rumors are true. Some think that credit card and bank statements could be used as well as records from internet service providers, which privacy advocates would strongly object to.

It is worth noting that Margarita Prentice is a strong supporter of tribal gaming in Washington State, and the expansion of casinos and poker rooms via the tribal gaming operations. She is not fundamentally against gambling, but this appears to be a protectionist move by a politician.

Back in February of 2005, Senator Prentice was the main sponsor of a bill that effectively taxed minicasinos 10 percent on gross revenue.

It remains to be seen how the Bill will affect Washington D.C.’s efforts to ban online wagering.