Newsweek bias alleged by leading gambling writers

The mass-circulation news magazine Newsweek irritated online gambling observers and writers this week with what appears to be a largely one-sided and decidedly negative article on the alleged dangers the industry presents to US families.

The flaws and inaccuracies of the article aside, it was written with professional style by Leah McGrath Goodman, who regrettably seems to have spent most of her research time speaking to opponents of online gambling, including politicians like Sen. Lindsey Graham and Jason Chaffetz, authors of the Sheldon Adelson-inspired Restoration of the American Wire Act, which seeks to ban most forms of internet gambling in the United States (see previous reports).

Heightening interest in the article, the front cover of the magazine features a rather sulky-looking pre-teen holding a mobile device displaying playing cards under the headline: “How Washington Opened the Floodgates to Online Poker, Dealing Parents a Bad Hand.”

The perception of blatant bias on the part of Newsweek quickly triggered furious comments from the industry, with perhaps the most reasoned and factual arguments supporting the industry and debunking the Goodman article coming from respected writers Chris Grove and Steve Ruddock, who’s separate takes on the Newsweek piece can be accessed here:

http://www.bluff.com/news/newsweek-paints-online-gambling-as-threat-to-american-family-59528/
http://www.onlinepokerreport.com/13443/newsweek-got-almost-everything-wrong-regulated-online-gambling/