Earlier this month governor Christine Gregoire took it upon herself to outlaw online gambling in Washington State. The new law makes online gambling a felon in the Pacific-Northwestner state - with punishments to violators equivilant to child predators, drunk drivers and drug dealers. Lotteries and Indian-run Casinos in the state have not been given any restrictions.

Not surprisingly the ban has been heavily critisized. An editorial in the Seattle Post Intelligencer has suggested the law will be challenged in the courts as a violation of free speech:

"If the P-I puts it on the Internet," University of Washington law professor Stewart Jay says, "it's legal. If Joe Blow puts it on the Internet, it's illegal. ... When you discriminate between forms of speech and providers, the government has to provide a compelling reason."

90% of those surveyed by the Post Intelligencer believe online gambling should not be outlawed in Washington.