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US
Online Gambling Lobbyist Efforts Impressive in 2007
by Edward Rogers, News Staff Writer
March 3, 2008
Now that lobbying
firms have disclosed the financial particulars of their
efforts in 2007 (as mandated by U.S. law), some
surprising findings regarding the level of support for
online gambling regulation in the U.S. have surfaced in
the eye of the public. As reported by the Cape Cod Media
Group, over twenty different organizations contributed
large sums of money with a direct aim of overturning the
UIGEA and making some leeway in regulating the
activities of online casinos and betting sites catering
to U.S. citizens.
The report showed
that just during the first half of 2007, over $2.65
million was spent on lobbying efforts. A major portion
of this came through the American Gaming Association,
which serves as a trade body for land-based casinos in
the U.S. No doubt this interest is due to the potential
for serious gain, which could end up turning the
internet into a monopoly of branded brick 'n mortar
casinos.
However, the
land-based casino industry is treading in foreign
waters. That's precisely why the AGA spent $1.7 million
lobbying for the U.S. government to conduct a legitimate
study of the online gambling industry. They want to get
an idea of the implications that regulation would have,
with a big emphasis on the "taxation" part.
Also looking out
for their own interests was the Online Poker Players
Alliance, which spent over $900,000 on lobbying efforts
to get online poker legalized, going so far as
attempting to make a distinction between poker and all
other online casino games and getting this "game of
skill" a carveout under the Unlawful Internet Gambling
Enforcement Act. Other contributors include Party Gaming
and the online casino and gambling trade association,
the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC), spending a
combined total of $760,000 to draw support for
Congressman Barney Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation
and Enforcement Act (IGREA).
The biggest
surprise of all was nearly half a million in
contributions from Visa USA, which has been pressed by
the U.S. government to not honor transactions made
between U.S. citizens and online casinos. And while they
certainly have, the funny thing is that it seems many
U.S. citizens are being able to successfully use their
credit/debit cards (not sure if their Visa per say) at a
small handful of online casinos regarded as reputable
and trustworthy by the gaming industry at large.
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