Lee Watkinson: Washington State May Have Bone to Pick After WSOPWashington State WSOP player may not want to go back home
At press time July 15, 2007 7 pm Las Vegas time, it was professional poker player Lee Watkinson who was just inches away from becoming the new 2007 WSOP chip leader. Relatively unknown Tuan Lam held that spot, at least momentarily. Hopefully those fine folks in Washington State government aren't watching.
With Rick Tocchet - convicted on charges of illegal gambling and awaiting prison - disappearing earlier this week from the World Series of Poker (he had not busted out) - could there actually be a criminal-in-waiting still alive among the final WSOP players?
As far-fetched as the concept may seem, the answer to this question is technically - YES.
That is because Lee Watkinson was born in Washington State, and he still resides there in the town of Cheney. It's a common joke in the world of online poker that the US should consider allowing Washington to become its own separate country.
It has to do with the fact that Washington is the only state in the Union that has made playing online poker a Class C felony, the same charge leveled against child molesters and drug dealers. For our international readers, Washington State is not to be confused with the US capital of Washington, D.C, also known as The District of Columbia, which of course has its own problems. George has to be rolling over in his grave just about every day at this point.
Watkinson is also not shy about boasting his online poker affiliation either. Full Tilt Poker is represented throughout his website.
Last week, almost simultaneously, Washington State found itself challenged in a court of law by an attorney who decided its anti-online poker law was "unconstitutional". Within days of this news, the state raided an Internet betting exchange, Betcha.com, that claimed it was not actually a "betting" site since members wager against each other and Betcha.com did not incorporate an actual bookmaker. The idea that Betcha.com thought they could legally operate in a heavy-handed state such as Washington kinda makes you wonder if that Northwest Pacific air is still toxic from Mount St. Helens erupting back in 1980.
Watkinson, meanwhile, could be made an example of by the Washington State political forces - spearheaded by Governor Christine Gregoire. It's doubtbul the state would want to test those waters considering how massively popular the World Series of Poker has become.
Things have become so bad in Washington State that Gambling911.com had to go out of its way this year to routinely discourage American Idol fans from betting on their favorite AI hopefuls, Blake Lewis and Sanjaya Malakar.
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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com
Originally published July 15, 2007 10:43 pm ET
