More opposition to Adelson’s banning proposal

Mounting political, social and business opposition to attempts to ban most forms of online gambling in the USA through the federal Restoration of America’s Wire Act has been boosted by another important lobby – the land casinos of Atlantic City.

The RAWA, a proposal currently in the Senate and House of Representatives, has been inspired and funded by Nevada and Macau land casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, an ardent anti-online gambling crusader who formed the Coalition to Stop Internet Gaming earlier this year (see previous reports).

In the latest drive opposing Adelson’s political initiative, the Casino Association of New Jersey has voiced its opposition. The Association represents the interests of major Atlantic City land and online operators such as Bally’s, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Caesars Atlantic City, Harrah’s Resort AC, Resorts Casino Hotel and Tropicana Casino.

In objecting to the RAWA, the Association urges members of Congress to strongly oppose any attempts to allow the bill to go through as part of any “backroom deal.”

The Association points to the threat to states’ rights and the legal standing of fair and honest online gambling in New Jersey under stringent and highly competent regulation which requires compliance with strict financial and technological standards, along with measures against problem and underaged gambling, and criminal involvement.

It additionally notes that the advent of legalised online gambling in the Garden State has reduced the incidence of gambling on illegal websites, thus improving the safety of internet gamblers.

Specifically identifying bills S.1259 and HR 4301 introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham and Representative Jason Chaffetz respectively, the Association flags persistent media reports that “Congress may act on this bill in the lame duck session of Congress which would effectively render New Jersey’s regulation of internet gambling illegal,” and points out that this would violate the Tenth Amendment right of each state to determine gambling policy within its borders.

The Association warns that such a violation would directly and negatively impact the State of New Jersey by preempting the state’s existing laws on internet gambling, “…causing the loss of millions of dollars invested to date, robbing the State of tax revenues and ongoing economic and employment opportunities for its residents, and foreclosing the potential of casino licensees to foster and create jobs and valuable business ventures focused in the high-tech industry and development of new computer and software technology.”

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