The Washington State Gambling Commission has issued a cease and desist notice to unlicensed Calcutta billiards operator Victory’s Auction Pro.
Victory’s Auction Pro is alleged to be an organization running illegal Calcutta billiards tournaments in Washington. The Washington State Gambling Commission started the process of blocking its operations with an initial cease and desist notice on October 10.
The organization is thought to have been running auction-pool wagering games as part of a wider tournament. In Calcutta billiards, the tournament prize pot and the Calcutta pot are separate pots of differing amounts.
The Calcutta refers to a side pot where players are betting money on the game in the hopes of receiving more than what they put in. That means bettors can bid on other players, with the highest bidder winning the rights to that player. Payouts are then calculated based on the player’s performance in the tournament.
These types of Calcutta wagering systems are illegal in Washington State, both for Victory’s Auction Pro and any participants – even if they don’t know they are wagering illegally. The punishment for illegal gambling in the state can range from a gross misdemeanor to a class B felony, with penalties ranging from one to 10 years in prison and fines of between $5,000 and $20,000.
The investigation from the Washington State Gambling Commission also claims that Victory’s Auction Pro is advertising its Calcutta billiards tournaments online and on social media via Facebook and other platforms. That also puts Victory’s Auction Pro in violation of a separate law, transmitting gambling information over the internet, which would be a class C felony if found guilty. The punishment for this charge could be as much as an additional prison sentence of up to five years and fines of up to $10,000.
Washington’s gambling laws have recently been under closer inspection after a dispute between the state and Washington tribes.
Featured image: Pexels
The post Washington Gambling Commission issues cease and desist to Victory’s Auction Pro appeared first on ReadWrite.
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