by Hillary LaClair, Senior Editor
Former gambling legend Lee Rousso, has announced that he is running for governor of the state of Washington. A handicapping specialist and online poker player, Rousso has filed a lawsuit against Washington’s online internet gambling ban. He is an active member of the Poker Players Alliance and a state litigator.
Rousso became a poker fan at a young age, switching to online poker following the death of his wife and the example of Chris “Moneymaker.” He first became recognized as a gambler in 1982 where he won over $83,000 at the MGM Grand in Reno. Rousso has been a competitor in the World Series of Poker for several years.
Rousso had brought his case against Washington’s gaming laws in the past and was unsuccessful. The ban that he has attempted to overturn classifies playing online poker as a Class C felony, with the same severity of a sex offender. The ruling stated that Rousso was unable to “show that the law discriminated in favor of in-state business interests and against out-of-state business interests.” As Washington has some of the harshest punishments for internet gaming, Rousso has filed for an appeal. His claim is that Washington is in non-compliance with the federal Wire Act which states that online poker players are not subject to criminal liability. Federal law does not criminalize internet gaming. It merely encompasses the financial transactions made toward internet gaming. He also states that the protection against Washington’s gambling institutions are unconstitutional and discriminative. Rousso is hopeful that his case will be brought before the Supreme Court but believes it may take up to six months before this can be done.
Rousso claims that if he is voted into office he will restore sanity to Washington and its gaming laws. He vows to end prison time for online poker players. Rousso intends to put state gambling money toward highway programs, rather than his opponent’s intentions to put a toll on Highway 520. He has a tremendous amount of support from the online poker industry, but is asking online poker players everywhere for letters to state legislators on his behalf. “You just can’t even find people who think that this lawsis a good idea. Even people who are opposed to gambling in general recognize that this law goes way, way, way too far.” Rousso said. He is running against the current Governor, Christine Gregoire. Although he voted for her in the previous election, he now expressed his “buyers remorse” in doing so.
Rousso is the Poker Players Alliance’s Washington director of state and is very passionate about lifting this ban. “The reason I announced in January when I did,” Rousso said, “is that I’m hoping to shake up the legislature and get them to revisit the issue during this legislative session. If I could get the law changed, I would pack up my tent and go home, because I would consider my mission accomplished.” That being said, the speculations that Rousso may run for president in 2010 are inaccurate. The primary elections are due to take place in August. Online poker players in Washington are eagerly awaiting the outcome.
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