Internet gambling still attracting lobbying cash

Official lobbying stats from the United States for the first quarter of 2012 show that there is still considerable interest in lobbying for political solutions to online gambling problems in the world’s richest nation.

Noteworthy investments in the quarter came from:

Caesars Entertainment – $886,000 and an increase from the $784,000 the company spent in the preceding quarter. Q4 2011.

TVG (Betfair’s US horseracing subsidiary) – $160,000, and a $40,000 increase on its Q4-2011 investment.

Pokerstars, working through Rational Entertainment Enterprises forked out $150,000, as did MGM Resorts, although their contribution included other interests.

Intralot paid in $90,000, with GTech and Bwin.Party close behind on $85,000 and $80,000 respectively.

Racing companies Churchill Downs Inc. and Penn National Gaming invested $80,000 and $70,000 respectively.

UC Group (involved in payment processing and an active proponent of legalised US internet gambling) boosted its quarter-on-quarter investment in lobbying substantially to $65,000.

Boyd Gaming, which with MGM has been involved in recent online gambling business agreements, also hiked its lobby spending to $60,000, whilst International Game Technology spent part of its $50,000 investment on internet gambling issues, in which it is now patently interested.

Station Casinos, whose owners have also shown strong interest in online poker, spent $30,000 and the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles spent $20,000.

The big trade associations and action groups were in there swinging as well; the American Gaming Association spent a significant part of its increased $602,000 quarterly lobbying funds on internet gambling issues; the Poker Players Alliance coughed up $315,000 and the Interactive Gaming Council put up a little less than usual at $210,000.

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