The good news for supporters of online poker in the US is that the Sheldon Adelson-backed Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA) failed to go through during Congress’ lame duck session. This means that any attempts to put a federal ban on iGaming have failed this year. However, it should be cautioned that Adelson and his cronies are expected to make an even bigger push to ban online gaming across the US. And as we’ll discuss below, Nevada Senator Harry Reid is so involved in this matter that some believe he’s got a secret deal with Adelson.
In support of poker, but suddenly against other iGaming
Reid has always been an ardent supporter of online poker, even trying to push federal legislation through in the past. However, he somehow sees a striking difference in states offering other forms of iGaming.
“I think the proliferation of gambling on the internet is not good for our country,” the Democrat and Senate Majority Leader said. “I think it is an invitation to crime. I think it is hard to control for crime when you’ve got brick-and-mortar places, let alone something up in the sky someplace, and it is very bad for children.”
If there’s one solace to take out of this discussion, it’s that Reid claims he doesn’t fully support RAWA. “If there is a chance to (legalize) poker, I will do that, but I am not for the Wire Act,” he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. However, it’s certainly clear that the former Nevada Gaming Commission chairman isn’t working very hard to combat RAWA. His main role during the lame duck session was, in case an online gaming ban did pass, to get a poker carve-out included.
“We’re just friends” says Reid about relationship with Sheldon Adelson
Given Reid’s odd stance on fully supporting iPoker, but largely being against internet gaming, there have been rumors that he’s in bed with Adelson. Specifically, some believe that the 74-year-old is worried about being re-elected in 2016 since he’ll be running against current Nevada Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval. So he’s supposedly worked a deal out with Adelson (a huge Republican donor), where the latter won’t contribute much to Sandoval’s campaign if Reid either supports the Wire Act or at least steps to the side.
Of course, the Senator gave a firm “no” when asked about the matter while adding, “Sheldon Adelson and I have been friends for a long time but on politics he and I don’t agree, so we don’t do politics. I’m glad he joined my position (on iGaming), but no, there was nothing.”
Reid will enter next year as the Senate Minority Leader and plans to run for re-election in 2016. Assuming he gets elected again and Democrats can take control of Congress, he’ll also run for Majority Leader. That said, online poker may still have a powerful ally in Congress for quite some time, however, iGaming as a whole doesn’t.