Adelson-Funded Online Gaming Survey Considered Bogus By Pennsylvania LawmakerPoll Set Up To Skew Results Against I-Gaming: Politician |
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A Sheldon Adelson-funded poll in Pennsylvania released this week alleges that nearly 75 percent of voters in the Keystone State oppose legal online gaming, but the survey is not considered credible by those close to the situation in the state.
“I don’t hold much credibility to the survey because of the way it was done,” Pennsylvania Rep. John Payne told The Morning Call. “The entire poll is designed and orchestrated to give the answers they want.”
Payne is pushing online poker regulation in the state. Currently, three bills on the table in Pennsylvania call for online poker regulation, while one proposal is calling for a ban.
Adelson’s company has one casino in Pennsylvania.
In addition to opposing online gaming in Pennsylvania, Adelson is also backing a federal proposal called RAWA that would ban some forms of web gambling for real money.
The Pennsylvania poll asked voters if they were more likely or less likely to support online gambling based on a series of statements. The statements presented some information as fact even though there has been a lot of testimony in online poker hearings across the country to strongly disprove some of the old myths about online poker.
Pennsylvania concluded in a study last year that regulated online poker could be worth up to $129 million annually once it reaches maturation. It also found that house-banked online casino games could reach $178 million annually under the same conditions.
Pennsylvania has more than 12.7 million people and 12 casinos.
In anticipation of online gaming in Pennsylvania, online poker companies 888 Holdings and bwin.party have found brick-and-mortar partners to run games with.
Factoring in all the positive developments so far this year for Pennsylvania’s regulated online poker push, the state has a decent shot at legalizing this year.
Payne told Card Player earlier this year that there is “no guarantee” for online poker legalization this year. But there is reason to be optimistic. If not this year, then next year.
Pennsylvania online poker should have more hearings as the year goes on, and hopefully one will have a vote to move the proposal out of committee. All three web poker bills are in the House.
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