Nevada Congresswoman Tells Feds To Leave Regulated Online Poker Alone

There’s no real indication that the highly-controversial idea to “restore” a decades-old law that effectively prohibited online casinos in America will ever be implemented, but that isn’t stopping one Nevada Congresswoman from standing up for her state’s industry in the face of the persistently nagging threat.

As the U.S. Supreme Court nears a ruling on a different federal law that outlawed traditional sports betting outside of the Silver State, Democratic Congresswoman Dina Titus penned a letter sent Tuesday to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, urging him not to reverse the Obama-era re-interpretation of the 1961 Wire Act.

The Obama Department of Justice issued an opinion on the law back in 2011.

“In Las Vegas, we have seen that a regulated market is always better than an illegal one,” Titus wrote. “Internet gaming will not go away with a reversal of the Wire Act guidance; it will merely push more consumers into black markets. A reversal will only hurt business.”

“There is copious evidence that businesses involved in illegal online gaming have left the regulated online gaming markets in Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey,” she added. “I encourage you to carefully study this issue and consult with industry leaders, regulators and consumers before reversing Wire Act guidance in a way that could eliminate jobs in the online gaming industry, infringe on states’ rights, and exacerbate growth of the illegal online gaming market.”

There’s been speculation for months that President Trump could fire Rosenstein, but his job now appears to be safe. Trump himself has been neutral to the online gaming issue, while Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson remains strongly opposed to internet casinos.

In addition to regulated online betting markets in Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey, the state of Pennsylvania legalized online casinos last fall. Other states such as New York and Michigan are considering their own respective legislation.

Related Articles

iPoker Violates Constitution, Says Former Nebraska AG

Last Hail Mary For Adelson's Anti-Online Poker Group

Former U.S. Senator Compares iPoker To Terrorism

Most Viewed Articles