Calcutta Cease & Desist Order in Washington State

[GideonF]

I honestly hate Calcutta lol I’ve not gone to tournaments because they were having a Calcutta. I’m just there to play and compete . I have a job for money so I really don’t give a shit about it but it’s annoying at big tournaments that you sit there for an hour or more while they do the Calcutta bidding. There’s enough sitting at tournaments.. lets get on with it lol

This is a big advantage for online Calcuttas. They are done before the tournament so the tournament can start on time.

 

[GideonF]

We can't bet on the rail, players can't bet with the rail, but players can bet with each other. It is called wagering and that is legal after a few judges and politicians got hauled in for betting on golf games!

Hu

This is a common distinction (it may vary by location).

In some places two players betting against each other on games of skill like pool is legal. Betting on games chance (like dice or a lottery) or mixed skill and chance (like poker) may be illegal (often except in legalized gambling establishments).

Even when dealing with games of skill, betting by spectators on someone else’s game of skill is often illegal (like betting on football or other sports). Whether law enforcement cares about wagers between friends is of course a whole other matter.

 

[InsertCleverNameHere]

do people actually exchange money through the site or is it cash in person sort of deal?

 

[GideonF]

do people actually exchange money through the site or is it cash in person sort of deal?

I’ve only ever seen it done as cash in person at the venue.

 

[maha]

There are so many ways for these degenerates to gamble now, why can't they just leave it out of pool? They are parasites.

you gamble much more of your so called hard earned money every day on gambles and get no return with a much bigger rake against you. so who is the sucker. you who gives away your future earnings or the guys that bet on things they believe they have the best of the bet.
and without gambling pool would start to go the way of the tennis courts. and turn pool rooms in to video game rooms.

 

[Chicagoplayer]

I work in the casino gaming industry and I received a notice that the Washington State Gambling Commission issued a cease and desist order to Victory's Auction Pro, a company running Calcutta tournaments, apparently over the internet. The notice doesn't provide much detail, but states that Calcutta wagering systems are illegal in Washington State.

The exact text of the notice is as follows:

https://wsgc.wa.gov/news/2025/calcutta-billiards-tournaments-and-victorys-auction-pro

Calcutta billiards tournaments and Victory’s Auction Pro​

The Washington State Gambling Commission issued a cease and desist notice to Victory’s Auction Pro, an unlicensed organization operating illegal Calcutta billiards tournaments in Washington.

A Calcutta billiards tournament is an auction-pool wagering system held in conjunction with a pool tournament with multiple entrants. The tournament prize pot and the Calcutta pot are different and separate pots. The Calcutta is a side pot where players are wagering money on the game in the hopes of receiving more than what they put in. Participants bid on players, with the highest bidder winning the rights to that player, and payouts based on the player’s performance in the tournament. These types of Calcutta wagering systems are illegal in Washington State and constitute a violation of RCW 9.46.0269 – Professional Gambling. Victory’s Auction Pro and participants (who may not even know they are wagering illegally) are in violation of RCW 9.46.0269 by participating in Calcutta billiards tournaments.

Our investigation also determined that Victory’s Auction Pro is advertising these Calcutta billiards tournaments online through websites like Facebook. By transmitting gambling information over the internet, Victory’s Auction Pro is in violation of RCW 9.46.240, which is a class C felony.

Yup, it’s also considered racketeering, which is why I’ve tried to tell people not to film & post the “auctions”.
Dummies.

 

[maha]

it is all voluntary to participate or not so no reason for it to be not allowed except for another stronger organization that fears competition.