Changing the rules for poker in Idaho
Wendy Nutting’s love of poker has her in a whole new game – advocating in a state that outlaws gambling.
The 35-year-old Coeur d’Alene native recently was selected as a state director for the national Poker Players Alliance, an advocacy group for the game based in Washington, D.C.
Within days, Nutting learned she was unintentionally breaking Idaho law by betting for cash during weekly games in friends’ living rooms and kitchens.
Idaho outlaws gambling – including poker – regardless of whether it’s played in the bar or the basement with work buddies over beer and pizza.
Nutting is left not only with the mission of promoting one of the most popular games in America, but advocating for a state law change to make friendly in-home games legal.
In the meantime, Nutting vows not to play in any illegal games – not wanting to jeopardize her advocacy for legal poker or become a hypocritical influence for her two teenage children.
“It’s asinine,” Nutting said Tuesday while logging in to PokerStars.net to play Texas Hold’em with fake money. “How can I be vocal about something I know is illegal?”
Kootenai County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Marty Raap said he didn’t realize in-house poker games were illegal until he considered having one at his Post Falls home. Before he invited friends he checked the law. The game was canceled.
“I can’t think of a case I’ve ever seen where friendly home games with other buddies are prosecuted,” he said, comparing laws regarding poker to those outlawing adultery and sodomy – Idaho laws that aren’t prosecuted.
He thinks the Idaho Legislature should clean up antiquated laws.
Raap said it makes no sense, especially when he can cross the state line and, within 10 minutes, get in a live poker game at Hooters Owl Club Casino in Spokane Valley. And, friendly wagering is allowed at in-home games in Washington, provided the host doesn’t charge anything simply for offering the game. Poker is also legal in Montana.
Nutting said her advocacy role is new and that she’s unsure how to amend the law or even what specific changes she might push. She just knows it’s her job to start researching.
Nutting, like many people, got into poker about three years ago when she saw a professional game on television.
Poker’s popularity has soared in the last few years with television coverage, especially with the invention of the “pocket camera” that shows viewers the cards of each player, said Poker Players Alliance Executive Director John Pappas.
“It’s a mind game, a mathematical game, a strategy game,” Pappas said. “You’ll never have hours and hours of programming with people watching roulette.”
Pappas said Nutting, an information technology worker with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, is the perfect candidate for a state directorship and was chosen from 24 Idaho applicants.
“She’s very involved in the community and with advocacy groups promoting child safety and child welfare,” he said. “Those are the type of people we want to be associated with poker.”
Nationwide about 1,000 people applied for the 50 state directorships.
Lee Rousso, a Renton attorney, is the Washington state director. Poker is the main reason he’s running against Gov. Chris Gregoire in the Democratic primary.
On his Web site, the little-known candidate writes that he is upset Gregoire signed a bill in 2006 to ban Internet gambling, calling it a “hysterical overreaction to a nonexistent problem.”