PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Card game wager limits.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 9.46.070, 9.46.0282.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: We have received a petition for rule change from the Recreational Gaming Association (RGA), an industry group that represents card rooms in Washington state, requesting that the wager limits for the game of Texas Hold'em be set at $250.
Currently, wager limits are set at $40 for poker games, with the exception of a specific "all in wager" in the game of Texas Hold'em, which was increased to $500, effective July 1, 2009. An all in wager is defined as a player wagering all of their remaining chips on the current hand. Unfortunately, after the rule passed staff identified a problem that would be created in the wagering structure for Texas Hold'em games. The change allows "all in" wagers, only, to exceed the $40 poker wagering limit. The rule does not allow players to make call or matching wagers exceeding the $40 limit. At their August meeting, the commission will be discussing a staff proposed rule change to remove the wording that allows higher wagering limits for "all in" wagers in Texas Hold'em poker games. This will put the limit for all poker wagers back to $40. The RGA has proposed the rule change mentioned above as an alternative to staff's proposal to remove the $500 "all in" wager for Texas Hold'em.
Process for Developing New Rule: Interested parties can participate in the discussion of this proposed change by attending a commission meeting, or contacting the agency rules coordinator at the contact information below.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Rick Day, Deputy Director, P.O. Box 42400, Olympia, WA 98504-2400, (360) 486-3446; Mark Harris, Assistant Director, P.O. Box 42400, Olympia, WA 98504-2400, (360) 486-3579; or Susan Arland, Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 42400, Olympia, WA 98504-2400, (360) 486-3466, e-mail Susana@wsgc.wa.gov.
[Meetings on] August 14, 2009, at the Inn at Gig Harbor, 3211 56th Street N.W., Gig Harbor, WA 98335, (253) 858-111 [858-1111]; on September 11, 2009, at the Mirabeau Park Hotel, 110 North Sullivan Road, Spokane, WA 99037, (509) 924-9000; and on October 9, 2009, at the Clarion Hotel, 1507 North First Street, Yakima, WA 98901, (509) 248-7850.
July 28, 2009
Susan Arland
Rules Coordinator