Adelson's Attorney General strategy falls flat

Las Vegas Sands owner Sheldon Adelson’s attempt to influence state Attorneys General to sign a letter to Congress seeking a federal ban on internet gambling appears to have fallen a little flat, according to the publication Gambling Compliance.

The attempted political interference by the Adelson-backed Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling (CSIG) was signed by only 15 AGs, well short of qualifying for a statement on policy by the National Association of Attorneys General, which demands that at least 36 signatures be secured.

John Pappas, executive director of the Poker Players Alliance, commented on the letter this week, saying:

“We would have liked to have seen none sign the letter, but 15 is far less than more than 40 who signed [a similar] letter in 2007.”

The reportedly Adelson-inspired letter was signed by AGs in Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming, along with Guam.

Of those who signed, 13 are Republicans and three are Democrats.