Nevada AG at odds with governor and regulator over online gambling

Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt’s active support for a petition signed by 10 state AGs asking the incoming Trump administration for a Wire Act resurrection and a federal ban on internet gambling (see previous reports) has clearly irritated his state’s governor and chief regulator, judging by a report in a Ralston Report article Monday.

The piece reprises the moves by Laxalt and 9 other state AGs to kill online gambling, despite the fact that his own state is successfully running legalised online poker and has been for the past several years.

It also notes that fanatically anti-online gambling land casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson is a donor to Laxalt’s political ambitions, commenting that certain passages in the letter echo Adelson’s objections to online gambling, which his lobbyists, frontmen and PR companies have been using in an expensive and sustained campaign against the industry for several years without success..

Laxalt’s participation when his home state has successfully regulated and licensed online poker for almost four years was always going to trigger a reaction from state politicians and regulators, and it was not long coming.

The offices of Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and Nevada Gaming Control Board chairman A.G. Burnett both emphasised that they did not support Laxalt in his unilateral move when approached for comment, with Burnett adding:

“Internet gaming in Nevada has been a complete regulatory success. We’ve had no issues with patron protection or ensuring it is done to the letter of the law. I’m disappointed Mr Laxalt didn’t consult with his clients on this.”

Geoff Freeman, the head of the American Gaming Association, was more circumspect (probably because his association is split on the issue with Adelson an influential voice), saying only:

“The AGA continues to focus – and make significant progress – on issues of common cause across the gaming industry.”