OK to smoke marijuana, but not bet on fantasy sports?

The commercials make it so tempting.

A voice narrates the ease at which anyone can join an online fantasy sports league and win money. All it takes is an Internet connection and some sports knowledge.

The commercials even showcase real people who have won real money. Take Chris Prince, for example, who won $724,938 on FanDuel.

Too bad for Washington residents because they can’t play. Washington is one of few states that does not allow online gambling and it’s all because of politicians, KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson says. To narrow it down, it’s all because of former State Senator Margarita Prentice.

Prentice was receiving campaign money from the tribes, Dori explains. The tribes, who Dori doesn’t blame at all, didn’t want competition for gambling. They bought Prentice, who in turn got some of the toughest gambling laws in the country passed, Dori says.

Washington’s gambling law makes online betting just as bad as driving drunk and killing a family of four, Dori says. It’s a felony. If you want to play a 25-cent game of Texas Hold’em, you could go to prison for 10 years.

“It’s insane the Legislature hasn’t fixed this,” Dori said.

And it’s also ironic. A state that legalized marijuana will not allow people to gamble online.

“You can smoke weed as long as you’re not playing online poker,” Dori added.

Oh, and let’s not forget that the state runs the biggest gambling racket in Washington: The lottery, where the house takes 50 percent. It’s “the biggest scam” out there, Dori said. It has the worst odds for the players.

“God forbid the state would allow the people to play a game of chance,” Dori said.

All of this means one thing to Dori: It’s “another reason why the state government is sickening.”