[SBR Lou]

VIP Sports, Matchbook no longer accepting players from Washington State

Washington State residents are no longer able to ante up at VIP Sports (SBR rating B+), or Matchbook (SBR rating B-). In 2006, the United States SAFE Port Act was enacted by Congress and signed into law by President Bush. The act contained a last minute passage regarding internet gambling, labeled the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). The UIGEA makes it illegal for US banks to process transactions to and from known gambling operators. The act does not state that it is unlawful for citizens to wager online and does not list penalties for doing so.

Placing a sports bet does not violate federal law. States can pass their own laws against placing bets. Many states have archaic criminal laws against gambling, even the act of running a raked poker game amongst friends would be classified as illegal. Washington State is the only state with a Class C felony provision for wagering online. | Full report

[smitch124]

I blame Fischnasty for this

[sharpcat]

BetOnline also noted on their site that they are not taking players in Washington State any longer the other day but I can not find that on their site anymore, maybe they changed their mind.

[jkilla990]

Sounds to me that this only affects bank transactions, so why cant residents of WA reload with ** or **?

[ttwarrior1]

means they can't gamble there period

[Stacocakes]

Unbelievable how stuff like this goes on.If someone wants to bet,what is the big deal?

[bradthebloke]

sleepless in seattle

[LVHerbie]

Interesting that both fulltilt and pokerstars have already made this decision but first I heard of sportsbook making the move...

[magnavox]

Intertops had a similar rule regarding certain states way before UIGEA.

[jackkkk2009]

The only way for WA residents to bet online is to move to a near state.

[durito]

The UIGEA has nothing to do with this Lou, try learning something about the industry you work in.

[FreeFall]

The UIGEA has nothing to do with this Lou, try learning something about the industry you work in.

This is what confused me as well when I read it over and over. I read the title and then the paragraph and neither of them seem to be linked. Isn't the first time this place has misinformed the public and surely won't be the last.

[Kaabee]

you guys need to click on the full report link in the op. the uigea part is just the intro.

[capitalist pig]

I always thought Washington State was a left/liberal leaning state, guess Ive been thinking wrong.

later

[gafl]

Let's hope other states don't follow Washington State's lead. The part about Washington State officials having banks debit 8M from it's citizens checking accounts due to offshore gambling, is really going too far. Even the Feds don't do that.

[SBR Lou]

The UIGEA has nothing to do with this Lou, try learning something about the industry you work in.

you guys need to click on the full report link in the op. the uigea part is just the intro.

Thanks Kaabee. A guy like durito would rather pre-fire, though.

[wisky]

Wonder if this would cause a gambler to move out of the state.

[GettingScrilla]

Washington...why would anyone live in that wet ass depressing place?

[Metalhead]

Locals must be happy.

[dbnmln]

if you live on the border, on the washington side, do you drive over the line and stop off for a coffee at starbucks and place a bet?

[Mr. Jones]

Sportsinteraction does not accept players from Kentucky.

[durito]

Thanks Kaabee. A guy like durito would rather pre-fire, though.

I read it.

[mtneer1212]

Everyone is abandoning Washington. The Indian casinos and Card Rooms must have some heavy hitting lobbyists there........

[Harmy G]

Kentucky I am not surprised with. Bunch of idiots down there. But Washington, there are some smart people who live up there. The deal with Washington is that they got so much pressure from the Native American casinos. They even appealed the ruling and it still stood. Sets a really bad precedent imo.

[greg66]

I always thought Washington State was a left/liberal leaning state, guess Ive been thinking wrong.

later

Actually the left is no better than the right. On the right you have the bible thumpers that want to ban gambling on moral grounds. On the left you have the liberals who want to legislate everything and will not hesitate to legislate in order to protect their state sponsored gambling interests. Add in big dollar contributions from the lotteries, local casinos, not to mention the under the table influences from organized local bookmakers and you get the picture.

[WileOut]

Kentucky I am not surprised with. Bunch of idiots down there. But Washington, there are some smart people who live up there. The deal with Washington is that they got so much pressure from the Native American casinos. They even appealed the ruling and it still stood. Sets a really bad precedent imo.

You have to be a total retard to make a comment like this. Washington people are smart, Kentucky people are not? You have no proof of this and no reason to even think it unless you have low IQ yourself.

As for the felony thing, it wouldn't surprise me if other states follow the lead sooner or later.

gregg66 you couldn't be more wrong. People who go to church could care less about gambling. Its not a sin, why would Christians care about it? I'm a Christian and have attended about 7 churches in my lifetime and know hundreds of Christians. Never once in my life has gambling been brought up by another Christian or a pastor unless it was about who I am on this weekend or other gambling talk. Christians gamble too. Opening a business is a gamble. But I know many people who attend church regularly and still bet on sports. And are open about it.

The misconceptions about Christians and what they think about is so off by non Christians.

[bookie]

The misconceptions about Christians and what they think about is so off by non Christians.

Groups like Focus on the Family both claim to speak for millions of Christians and spout this stuff about how sports betting ruins families. Maybe that's where Harmy was coming from.

I know gambling-affirmative Christians too, hell Catholics have all but made it a part of their ritual, but I don't see how you can pretend to not understand why people see Christians as anti-gambling when anti-gambling rhetoric has been an evangelical staple for a long time.

[BookTaker]

On the left you have the liberals who want to legislate everything and will not hesitate to legislate in order to protect their state sponsored gambling interests. Add in big dollar contributions from the lotteries, local casinos, not to mention the under the table influences from organized local bookmakers and you get the picture.

Yup

Washington state has local casinos all over the place. That could be a reason why. There is even a Hooters that is a casino there.

And all the liquor stores are owned by the state.

[Yi]

I can understand Poker sites pulling out because they want to stay in good grace with the U.S. government so that in the future when online poker is legalize they can have access to the market.

However, what potential benefits does Matchbook and VIP have for pulling out?

[Kaabee]

I can understand Poker sites pulling out because they want to stay in good grace with the U.S. government so that in the future when online poker is legalize they can have access to the market. However, what potential benefits does Matchbook and VIP have for pulling out?

they are afraid of fund seizures from payment processor accounts

[masontnk]

Hey all banks in wa dont allow onine gaming transactions with there credit or debit cards

[DwightShrute]

unreal. Seeing how the government, state or federal, makes these laws it amazes me that people would like it to be run by the government.

[tylerguy02]

I live in WA and I'm pretty sure my request for payout just got put back into my account at 5dimes and Bodog sent me an email that said they wouldn't send checks to WA state anymore. The government here is BS. If they can't get their hands on the tax dollars, then it is made illegal.

[vitalogist]

Add DSI to the list now too. Who will take our action??? I gave up on poker, but I need a sportsbook now....

[Kaabee]

dsi and bookmaker are both out. 5 dimes is in for now.