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.