Betcha.com Co-Founders Back in Washington StateBetcha.com owner Nick Jenkins and his associates are back in Washington State after surrendering themselves in the state of Louisiana. A court date for their appearance on "illegal gambling by computer" felony charges has been set for January 3, 2008, according to Denmark-based news portal Online-Casinos.org.
Nicholas G. Jenkins, 38; Josie M. Imlay, 24; and Peter M. Abrahamsen, 25, were able to return to their native Washington State this week. Louisiana State Police were able to place bets with Betcha.com over a month long period. State Police Lt. Lawrence McLeary said the investigation was carried out by the Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division, the Washington State Gambling Commission and the Ascension Parish District Attorney’s Office. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco (pictured above) has supported her State Police efforts.
Both Washington State and Louisiana have been aggressive in preventing online gambling over the past year. In 2006, Washington State made betting online a Class C felony, the first state in fact to offer the possibility of severe punishment for the actual gambler. Louisiana, meanwhile, has issued several sealed arrest warrants for Internet gambling operators who have targeted the state's citizens.
"Our take: 70 cents," Jenkins documented as a guest columnist in the Seattle Post Silencer. " The trooper says the patent-pending Betcha.com violates Louisiana's online gambling law. We think Betcha.com is legal, and in July we filed a lawsuit against the WSGC to get a state judge's take. Our hearing is scheduled for Nov. 9."
In his statement, Jenkins implies that Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire may in fact have been breaking the same law as the Betcha.com founders.
"Gov. Chris Gregoire, who bet openly against the governors of North Carolina and Pennsylvania in the Seahawks '06 Super Bowl run, can stop the extraditions.
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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
Originally published October 16, 2007 10:26 am ET
