New WA state online gambling ban=free speech censorship

[Melissa]

Hi there: I'm a member of the VP Free board, and since it said that
this was the free-speech side of that board for extended topics, I
thought I'd inquire and see if it is okay for this discussion to
take place here?

I'm a video poker fan who travels to Vegas a couple of times a year
to play (since the machines in WA state are really more like slot
machines, according to the American Casino Guide). I subscribe to
Casino Player magazine, and the Las Vegas Advisor: But because of a
new, vaguely-worded law passed on June 7th in Washington state that
prohibits not only online gambling, but even MENTIONING it, my
Casino Player magazine has canceled all WA state subscriptions, and
everyone LVA member from WA risks having their membership canceled,
too.

The reason? Because according to the Director of the WA State
Gambling Commission, anyone who even displays ads for online
gambling sites could be found guilty of "Aiding and Abetting", which
is now a Class C Felony in WA.

As you can imagine, this is extremely frustrating: Even though I
don't even visit online gambling sites, I am now restricted from
visiting sites/receiving magazines that have anything to do with
gambling. I am contacting the WA State ACLU on 7/5 and seeing if we
can get this law thrown out of court: I would like to invite some
other members from the LVA here to further discuss it, if we end up
having our memberships canceled there, too.

Thanks for your time, and wish us luck in keeping VP, coupons, and
other gambling legal for everyone!

[missdeuces]

Sounds like it is time to move. Just kidding. Curious..will
casino Player and Strictly slots and LVA refund you money from your
subscription? What about being on line at the LVA site? They
advertize online gambling- are you being blocked out by your cable
company? What is happening with the cable company? Are they not
allowed to show certain gambling shows because "party Poker" etc is
shown on there?

Hi there: I'm a member of the VP Free board, and since it said

that

this was the free-speech side of that board for extended topics, I
thought I'd inquire and see if it is okay for this discussion to
take place here?

I'm a video poker fan who travels to Vegas a couple of times a

year

to play (since the machines in WA state are really more like slot
machines, according to the American Casino Guide). I subscribe to
Casino Player magazine, and the Las Vegas Advisor: But because of

a

new, vaguely-worded law passed on June 7th in Washington state

that

prohibits not only online gambling, but even MENTIONING it, my
Casino Player magazine has canceled all WA state subscriptions,

and

everyone LVA member from WA risks having their membership

canceled,

too.

The reason? Because according to the Director of the WA State
Gambling Commission, anyone who even displays ads for online
gambling sites could be found guilty of "Aiding and Abetting",

which

is now a Class C Felony in WA.

As you can imagine, this is extremely frustrating: Even though I
don't even visit online gambling sites, I am now restricted from
visiting sites/receiving magazines that have anything to do with
gambling. I am contacting the WA State ACLU on 7/5 and seeing if

we

can get this law thrown out of court: I would like to invite some
other members from the LVA here to further discuss it, if we end

up

···

--- In FREEvpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Melissa" <missykender@...> wrote:

having our memberships canceled there, too.

Thanks for your time, and wish us luck in keeping VP, coupons, and
other gambling legal for everyone!

[Melissa]

Believe me, if husband and I didn't both have aging parents living
here, we'd move to Vegas in a heartbeat. With the booming
construction business there, my hubby, a truck driver, could find work
easily.

Those people who've had their Casino Player/Strictly Slots
subscriptions canceled have already received refund checks for all
unserved copies: I received a check for $42.42. (I'd purchased a 3-
year subscription for a discounted price, so I'm a wee bit annoyed.)
The LVA has not yet announced that they are cancelling memberships: A
note in their "Today's News" section provided a link to the members
who first pointed out that their Casino Player magazine had been
canceled.

Casino Player took this move to protect themselves from prosecution,
and it is conceivable that the LVA could do the same thing: I haven't
received a reply yet from them as to whether they'll be doing the same
thing.

Your question about if WSOP shows and the like will be canceled is a
valid one: We don't believe that Washington State has the authority
to cancel such shows, and as such intend to challenge the law.

If there's anyone in this group from Washington who's also been
affected, I'd love to hear from them: The more people we can get on
board, the better our chance is of proving how many people have been
affected by this misguided legislation.

Much as I'd planned on ignoring it, the law unfortunately hasn't
ignored ME: I don't even gamble online, but I'm now being told what I
can and can't read (and what coupons I do or don't have access to).
Grrr...

Thanks for your support!

--Melissa

···

--- In FREEvpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "missdeuces" <missdeuces@...> wrote:

Sounds like it is time to move. Just kidding. Curious..will
casino Player and Strictly slots and LVA refund you money from your
subscription? What about being on line at the LVA site? They
advertize online gambling- are you being blocked out by your cable
company? What is happening with the cable company? Are they not
allowed to show certain gambling shows because "party Poker" etc is
shown on there?

[missdeuces]

I can't help but think it is going to end up in a major federal
Court Battle since you are in essence being told what you can or
cannot read. Someone will find an attorney wanting to make a big
name for himself.

Believe me, if husband and I didn't both have aging parents living
here, we'd move to Vegas in a heartbeat. With the booming
construction business there, my hubby, a truck driver, could find

work

easily.

Those people who've had their Casino Player/Strictly Slots
subscriptions canceled have already received refund checks for all
unserved copies: I received a check for $42.42. (I'd purchased a

3-

year subscription for a discounted price, so I'm a wee bit

annoyed.)

The LVA has not yet announced that they are cancelling

memberships: A

note in their "Today's News" section provided a link to the

members

who first pointed out that their Casino Player magazine had been
canceled.

Casino Player took this move to protect themselves from

prosecution,

and it is conceivable that the LVA could do the same thing: I

haven't

received a reply yet from them as to whether they'll be doing the

same

thing.

Your question about if WSOP shows and the like will be canceled is

a

valid one: We don't believe that Washington State has the

authority

to cancel such shows, and as such intend to challenge the law.

If there's anyone in this group from Washington who's also been
affected, I'd love to hear from them: The more people we can get

on

board, the better our chance is of proving how many people have

been

affected by this misguided legislation.

Much as I'd planned on ignoring it, the law unfortunately hasn't
ignored ME: I don't even gamble online, but I'm now being told

what I

can and can't read (and what coupons I do or don't have access

to).

Grrr...

Thanks for your support!

--Melissa

--- In FREEvpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "missdeuces" <missdeuces@>

wrote:

>
> Sounds like it is time to move. Just kidding.

Curious..will

> casino Player and Strictly slots and LVA refund you money from

your

> subscription? What about being on line at the LVA site? They
> advertize online gambling- are you being blocked out by your

cable

> company? What is happening with the cable company? Are they

not

> allowed to show certain gambling shows because "party Poker" etc

is

···

--- In FREEvpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Melissa" <missykender@...> wrote:

> shown on there?
>