Not yet. I just transferred most of my bankroll over to FT from PS. I considered sending them an email asking if they had plans, but it seemed pointless. Why would they tell me? My guess is that if it happens word will spread quickly. If they do drop the hammer like PS, I hope people get a bit of warning. Perhaps a week so they can finish up bonuses and such.

Well, I'm sure that most of the Wa. Legislatures will pass an 'opt out' measure just like they, or most, voted for the current bill. Then in a year or so when they realize how much money (taxes) they are losing will opt back in.

I sent an email to FTP...it's been so long since I played there that I got a reply 5 hours later asking me to send it from my registered email. Sent it from the right email and 5 days later no response.

Just an FYI. I got this response to my email below from Stars this morning.

Here's the response from FTP...not much of anything new.

Dear xxx,

In light of recent legal events, Full Tilt Poker notifies all of its players from Washington State that we are closely monitoring and have been assessing the recent legal developments that have occurred in Washington along with our advisors.

While the option to play real-money poker games of skill is still available on Full Tilt Poker, we will have further information about the status of real-money play by Washington residents in the near future.


Regards,

Lara
Full Tilt Poker Support

Thanks for posting this. I'm sure they've been hit with a landslide of questions of the same nature. I won't bother to hit them with one of the same.

:fingerscrossed:

I just moved what was left of my bankroll over to Full Tilt.

Do you think it is safe to assume that WA govt will not be prosecuting individuals? It seems like the time is ripe to make an example out of someone because of the WA supreme court ruling.

I do think the laws were enacted to protect the Indian casinos and not to punish the individuals who play online, but WA state is so screwed up that it may see it differently...

No one has been charged with a crime over the past four years. I can't imagine that this will change now.

I got hold of Representative Kelli Linville's aide today. She set up a 9am phone meeting for me next Wednesday with Representative Linville. I've written down several things that I would like to discuss with her, but I know time will be short. I may need some advice from folks on how I should best utilize this time.

Ugh, that doesnt leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling I have to say.

Sucks so much if end up in WA next year (of course my other likely landing place is MA, so we might end up with the same issue depending on the casino bill)

even those most in support of this law will not be prosecuting anyone based on it anytime in the medium term. there are so many things they would need to do if they wanted to, including educating law enforcement and/or establishing a new law enforcement entity solely to accomplish the enforcement of this law; pressing DAs to presecute this crime; etc. from their perspective, the worst thing they could do would be to start enforcing this law. the way it stands, they are getting exactly what they intended, ie large entities leaving the market. if they WERE to prosecute someone, even successfully, they would get one person in jail (or whatever), and possible massive outcry. why risk it?
i give you MASSIVE respect for putting in this type of effort. its more than i have done. i will be pm'ing you soon.

Awesome! Good luck. PM me if you need anything.

I had 25 minute conversation with my state rep (Kelli Linville, 42nd district) this afternoon. I wrote several emails and made a few phone calls to her office and was thrilled to get a call from her aide asking if I would like some of the representative's time to discuss the topic of Senate Bill 6613 from 2006.

I'm very encouraged after having spoken to representative Linville. Time to take some action!

Short version: She is on our side. Yes! Given the same vote again today she told me she would vote no. She was very honest and forthright discussing her original vote and detailed how/why this happened. We talked about next steps and what specific things I can do to start moving forward.

Long version: I initiated the conversation by thanking her for her time and relayed how I knew it was difficult for her to find time to get back to individual constituents. I had shown plenty of passion on this topic having both written and called her office. She indicated to me that it was clear I would continue to try and make contact.

I told her I have voted for her in the past, and regardless of the outcome of this single issue I was going to vote for her in the future. I can't ever see myself being a single issue voter. I think she appreciated my honesty and that I didn't bothering threatening her with the loss of my vote.

I sought out some advice this past week with regard to contacting representatives. How does one go about this? Do I throw the legal arguments at her? (Commerce clause in the Constitution). Do I drill her on her initial yes vote on 6613? I took the advice of some wiser people and used my time to tell her my story. Who am I? How has this law affected me and others like me? I'm very glad I went this route. I could tell after talking to her that personal stories carry a lot of weight.

Who am I?

• I'm a low limit full ring grinder. I started playing online as part of the 2003/2004 Moneymaker boom (really, it was the "pocket camera boom", but we'll continue to let Chris have his moment in the sun. I always find myself rooting for the guy still).
• I spent an entire summer in 2005 as a full time bonus whoring grinder. I played 36 different sites completing initial sign up cash bonuses and moving from one site to another. My base game was 1/2 limit full ring. Man, those were the glory days.
• I cashed out of the game in early 2007 after UIGEA and the death of Neteller.
• I spent two miserable years playing live full ring in card rooms.
• In early 2009 I realized that the WA state law was a joke and that I could deposit using a Canadian gift VISA card. I went for it.
• I've been a regular on .50/1 limit full ring games on Stars for just over a year and a half. On PTR I was as high as #28 on their all time winners list before I hit a nasty swong this past August.
• The recent statewide blackout by Stars has forced me to move my bankroll to Full Tilt where I'm enjoying a successful first week there playing .50/1 limit full ring. I'm currently #8 this week on the PTR list.
• I'm a high school math teacher (18 years). I'm a husband (17 years). I'm a dad (12 years). I pay my taxes. I vote. I like to think I'm a role model citizen. I pick up random trash in my neighborhood when I walk. I help old people cross the street. I'm just a swell guy.
• I'm a Class C Felon according to Washington State. Worth noting: Washington state would strip me of my teaching certificate if I were convicted of a felony. I can't afford that. Hence, I can't be the face of why 6613 was such a bad law.

Poker specifics I highlighted for representative Linville:

• Live casino poker is not the same as online. Rake is 5% compared to 10% live. Dealers need to be tipped. I didn't enumerate the specific mathematics of why online is much more profitable, but I did make it clear that I have nearly 500K hands of data that more than prove just how non-rigged online poker is and that I feel much safer playing online versus live. Further, .05/.10 doesn't exist in a live setting, and 4/8 in an online setting is getting to the upper echelons of the game.
• I gave her specifics on how online poker purveyors ensure that underage poker players are kept out. Proof of identification and location having to be provided. Faxes/scans of utilities bills and such.
• I relayed a story to her about how Stars protected me as a player by using "computer police" to track colluding players, freeze their accounts, and return money to me that they had stolen from me. Further, I was convinced that I had sat in a similar live game knowing I was being cheated, but the live casino was helpless to intervene.

Where to next:

• Representative Linville told me that she isn't the one to write new legislation, but that she would be willing to co-sponsor a new bill. She is the current chair of the powerful Ways and Means Committee overseeing the entire state budget. My plan here is to contact representative Jeff Morris from my neighboring district to the south. He is the only Democrat in the state that voted no on the original bill.
• I will keep sharing my story. I can't go to the media, but I will keep peppering my legislators as much as I can. State Senator Dale Brandland is stepping down this year and will likely be replaced by current rep. Doug Erickson. He's next on my radar.
• Again, I can't be the guy talking to the media, but I'm certainly encouraged after today. I'm going to double my efforts with regards to other legislators. If I have to, I willing to sit down and help a bill. If not me, who?
• Representative Linville really perked up when I brought up the notion of regulating and taxing poker online. I told her that online poker purveyors want to be regulated and licensed to operate. I'm of the opinion that this needs to be our focus. She told me the state is really needing to focus on alternative sources of tax revenue.


Thoughts? Ideas? Feedback?

If I'm on an island, and I have to do the leg work, so be it. There is injustice here, and I'm not going to sit by and allow this travishamockery to continue.

Get on the phones! Call those reps! Calls those senators! We can make this happen! When you get them on the phone tell them your story. Be honest. Be sincere. We won't change the law with rants. We need to make them listen.

LINK TO YOUR WASHINGTON STATE REPS

LINK TO YOUR WASHINGTON STATE SENATORS

Outstanding! I hope more will take this effort.

I send this info to PPA.

Thanks. I will send you a PM with my contact information. I would like to get involved as much as I can, and it sounds like representative Linville is willing to help us.

I will

Very inspiring post, FBGHooper! Thank you for your effort and look forward to more updates on this subject in the future.

I feel like I want to say thank you in many other different ways but rather then repeating it over and over just know that your post and efforts are much appreciated

Best to you and yours,

David

very nice.

great work
if a few, ten, hundred more on here took such time and trouble, the impact would, no doubt, be considerable
glglgl

Agreed. Let's get to work.

the thought put in to that, and the way it was presented to her and us are massively commendable.

I sent emails to representatives Doug Ericksen and Jeff Morris today. Also sent an email to Lee Rousso (attorney for the PPA that argued case in front of the Washington State Supreme Court) offering myself in whatever way I can help.

Anyone else make any calls or send any emails today?

I also sent detailed lists to representative Linville describing the state of the online game compared to live casino games in the WA state. These are simply NOT the same game when you compare stakes, hands per hour, and most importantly rake.

Great work FBGHooper

+1

FBGHooper,

You should cross post your big post to the thread in NVG and possibly PL.