Bookmark Website  | Free Registration  | The Team
The Lounge  | Champions  | The Wire |  Schedule |  Audio  |  Arcade  |  The Top Ten  |  Historical  |  Email  |  Video

Is Advertising Online Gambling Illegal in the State of Washington?


I wished to create a website to advertise Online Gambling to persons living in jurisdictions where Online Gambling isn't illegal. Prior to creating the website, I did some research to find out if advertising Online Gambling via a website located in the U.S. is illegal. In short it appears that it isn't illegal, yet. Its sort of in the Grey-area at this time. TheFederal Communication Commission (FCC) is the regulatory body responsible for Internet communications.

As a new webmaster with a new Online Gambling website, I find this to be some what of a boon and a bane, which is addressed below. The F.C.C. is of course a Federal agency, thinking in that context I didn't consider the State level. Even though Federal laws and regulations supercede State and Local laws, regulations.

How did I come to think about Washington State laws, regulations, when in fact the F.C.C. is in charge of the Internet. Here's what happened!

On 7-7-05 I posted in a Gambling webmasters forum, requesting a 'Site review' and received some constructive advice on my website. Keep in mind that I began uploading site on 6-14-05 so the site had been on the internet for only three weeks. I wasn't receiving any traffic excepting myself and gambling webmasters from the forum and some affiliate managers to whose program I applied.

I had second thoughts about posting in a Gambling webmaster forum, thinking that if the Federal Government wanted to persecute or harass Gambling website owners residing in the (US), a Gambling webmasters forum would be a good place for them to stake-out, so to speak. Also this forum is an organization that deals with Gambling Casino merchants on behalf of Gambling website owners, lots of members.

Hoping to get in the big 3 Search engines I Checked my traffic Statistics, there wasn't much to look at. A section of the statistics page (Country) lists which Countries visitors are coming from. The Country listing looked like this on 7-8-05.

Country
1 Network
2 Unresolved/Unknown
3 US Commercial
4 Non-Profit Organization
5 Israel
6 Australia
7 Seychelles
8 Canada
9 Denmark
10 Hungary
11 Sweden
12 Singapore
13 United Kingdom

on 7-9-05, Country had one additional entry, US Government, and looked like the following.

1 Network
2 Unresolved/Unknown
3 US Commercial
4 Non-Profit Organization
5 Israel
6 Australia
7 Seychelles
8 Canada
9 Denmark
10 Hungary
11 Sweden
12 Singapore
13 United Kingdom
14 US Government

Looking at the new entry 'US Government' first thing in the morning, my mind began swimming with 'what if's' and my stomach is feeling a little queasy, I couldn't help wondering if I were standing up, would my legs be shaking. Should I have avoided posting in the Gambling webmasters forum and hopefully 'fly under the radar' or is this simply a coincidence, am I just paranoid?

At 7am the coffee is still perking and with this eye-opener my mind is racing, my stomach unsettled. I needed to grab a cup of coffee and a cigarette and head out to the patio for a few moments of reflection. As I stood up and looked out the window directly in front of me, I saw an unmarked white police type cruiser with a plain-clothes driver very slowly cruising past my house.

Now the legs are shaky! my first thought is, should I get some of the dark Rum in the cupboard to fortify my coffee. No its much to early for Rum. On the patio I nervously drag on my cigarette and can only sip on the hot coffee. Cursing myself for not adding the Rum, to at least cool down the coffee. I needed a few quick gulps to replace the uneasy feeling in my stomach with something warm and pleasant.

Questioning the circumstances, a Gambling website, my research, the posting in the forum, 'US Government' visitor in Traffic logs, unmarked police car. Was this just a pair of coincidence's. That was definitely an unmarked car, the type law enforcement uses, not from the EPA or County employees checking their area out. Was the unmarked car federal or could the Feds have contacted local law enforcement to have them check out the website owners address.

I began to wonder if the 'unmarked cruiser' was the Washington State police. Then it dawned on me that even though the FCC is in charge of the Internet, perhaps the State of Washington has laws prohibiting, advertisement of Online Gambling by State residents. I better Check.

I loathe the thought of perhaps spending hours searching the Washington State website for information on, advertising Online Gambling. Well, maybe someone else has done that already, perhaps I should type in 'advertise online gambling Washington' into Yahoo search and hope to find something.

JackPot! the first listing is entitled: Washington State Gambling Commission - Internet/Online Gambling Questions. My luck is running now, nervously scanning the document I find just what I'm looking for.

Can I advertise gaming activities online?

State laws do not prevent the advertising of gaming activities online, as long as the subject of the advertisement is authorized gaming activities. However, other agencies, such as the Federal Communications Commission, may have statutes and regulations that apply. Any of the house-banked or tribal casinos, or bingo operators may advertise on the Internet; however, no one may advertise or solicit citizens of Washington State to wager online.

Well the news isn't bad, but is still basically in the Grey-area, relief. I started wondering if other Online Gambling webmasters located in the State of Washington, had anxious feelings or experiences similar to mine. Prompting me to submit this article with the related url's for them to peruse.

Above I mentioned that the current legal standing Grey-area situation, is some what a boon and a bane for Gambling portal webmasters. People from the U.S.A. inquire in forums about the legality of advertising Online Gambling, all the time.

Boon. This uncertainty keeps many potential Gambling webmasters out of Gambling affiliate marketing. Resulting in less competition for the rest of us, and very importantly keeps Gambling Merchant operators from reducing the compensation aspect of their programs, because of fewer affiliates marketing their program.

Bane. The other side is that the U.S. Government could decide to make advertising Online Gambling explicitly illegal at some time in the future. Thus necessitating Gambling portal webmasters to shut down their websites and lose all the many hours of work they invested in creating, maintaining their websites, not to mention lost income.

Just for the record I'll include my website url:http://www.online-casino-gambling-betting.net

Below are the url's used for the search referred to above.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=UTF-8&
fr=sfp&p=advertise+online+gambling+Washington

http://www.wsgc.wa.gov/FAQ/InternetGamblingFAQ.htm

Copyright © 2005 http://www.Online-Casino-Gambling-Betting.net Casino gambing sites reviewed.

This document may be freely redistributed in its unedited form and on the condition that all copyright references are kept intact along with the hyperlinked URLs.


MORE RESOURCES:

Ohio wraps up first year of casino gambling; payoff still taking shape
Plain Dealer
Ohio voters authorized casino gambling in 2009, narrowly approving a constitutional amendment (read the amendment) conceived and championed by Rock Ohio Caesars, owner of the Horseshoe casinos, and Penn National Gaming, which developed the ...

and more »


ABC News

Turning up the heat on casino gambling
Seacoastonline.com
This week, the House Joint Committee of Ways and Means & Finance voted to reject SB 152, the casino bill, by a 23-22 margin. While this vote was not a decisive victory for either side, there are many aspects of this bill to consider before it comes up ...
NH House Panel: Reject Casino BillValley News
Casino committee looks to find acceptable language, more votesThe Union Leader
UPDATED: House committee votes 23-22 to kill casino billNewHampshire.com
Patch.com -Examiner.com
all 412 news articles »


Future of casino gambling in Texas faces hard odds this session
Community Impact Newspaper
Hindered by ethical and religious objections to gambling and a healthy state bank account that gives little impetus to look for additional revenue streams, Senate Joint Resolution 64, which would open Texas to Vegas-style casinos and revitalize the ...



CardPlayer.com

Ohio Adds First Two Names To Casino Gambling Black List - Card Player
CardPlayer.com
Ohio casino regulators have added the first two names to its version of a black book. According to the Plain Dealer, the “involuntary exclusion” list, as it's called, is similar to those in other states, most notably in Nevada, which has the infamous ...
Public Works: A Casino That Works?Torontoist
Pa. table games revenue up 8.9 percent in April - Philly.comPhilly.com
Ohio casino regulators put first entries on banned listPlain Dealer

all 34 news articles »


NH Trade Workers Come Out to Support Casino Gambling
Patch.com
Representatives from the NH Building and Trades Council and NH Ironworkers both brought out a wave of casino supporters this afternoon to create a presence at the House Special Committee Executive session and vote on Senate Bill 152. See video above ...



Casino Gambling Indicates Economic Turnaround Is Solid
NPR
Casino gambling is back to pre-recession levels in the U.S., according to a new report from the gaming industry. One in three Americans went to a casino last year, and those who opened their wallets wagered a total of $37 billion, about 5 percent more ...



UMass research team chosen to conduct $3.64 million research project on ...
MassLive.com
... research team has been chosen by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to conduct a multi-year $3.64 million research project - believed to be the first of its kind - to study the economic and social impacts of introducing casino gambling to ...
UMASS team to measure effects of casinosBoston.com (blog)
UMass Amherst to conduct comprehensive gaming researchSouthCoastToday.com
Mass. Gaming Commission gives $3.6M to UMass Amherst for gambling studyBoston Business Journal
WSHM-TV
all 7 news articles »


CardPlayer.com

Delaware names vendor for online casino gambling system
The News Journal
DOVER — State lottery officials this week began negotiations with the winners of a bid to run Delaware's online casino gambling system, slated for launch by the end of September. A partnership venture between Scientific Games International and ...
Casino Gambling Data Shows Economic Conditions Are BetterOPB News
Casino gambling surges most since crisisWND.com
Illinois Governor Happier With Latest Casino Gambling Bill - Card PlayerCardPlayer.com
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader
all 174 news articles »


Just say no to casino gambling
Monadnock Ledger Transcript
I believe that voters of New Hampshire should tell our governor and state representatives to just say 'No' to casino gambling in the state of New Hampshire. There are many reasons but here are some of them to consider: 1. As revenue generation for the ...
NH's revenue dip: No cause for alarmThe Union Leader

all 5 news articles »


Newsday

Casino gambling remains alive
Albany Times Union
Albany. Gov. Andrew Cuomo sees the 23 legislative days remaining in the 2013 session as a time to try to complete a deal on expanding legalized casinos in New York. But on Wednesday, he didn't seem to be ready to place a bet on reaching that goal.
Cuomo not ready to move forward with casino referendumNew York Daily News
Cuomo makes case to delay public vote on casinosNews 10NBC
Casino referendum may be put off until busier election yearInnovation Trail
YNN Hudson Valley
all 49 news articles »

Google News


Advertisement



Section Site Map - Submit News - Feedback - Comments - Advertise with Us

Copyright © 2006 Luminati Inc. All rights reserved.