 John
McCain Doesn't Care
About Internet
Gambling
In an interview with
Erin Neff of the
Las Vegas Review
Journal
Republican
Presidential
candidate, John
McCain, made it
clear that an all
out ban on Internet
gambling is a very
low priority for his
future
administration.
"The economy is
what's hurting the
gaming industry in
Las Vegas today,"
McCain said. "It
isn't sports betting
or Internet gaming."
On Internet gaming,
McCain was just off
his game, according
to Neff. First he
tried to back away
from his position
because he hasn't
been involved in it
lately. Then he said
it was really fellow
Arizona Sen. Jon
Kyl's deal.
Kyl was a co-author
of recently past
Internet gambling
prohibition - the
Unlawful Internet
Gaming Enforcement
Act - and has been
among the industry's
most aggressive foes
over the past
decade.
"I haven't thought
about the issue,"
McCain said when
pressed further by
the Vegas-based
reporter.
The Las Vegas casino
industry has been
outspoken about
legalizing online
gambling so that it
can get a piece of
the billion dollar
plus pie.
Likewise, the
Internet poker
craze, which has
shown little sign of
slowing down, has
provided the Nevada
casino city with a
major economic boost
during the hot
summer months
through its hosting
of the World Series
of Poker. The
WSOP was fueled
mostly through
online play.
McCain only
expressed concern
over underage
gamblers having the
ability to open
online betting
accounts. This
is an issue that has
long been addressed
by the industry as a
whole however.
The Arizona Senator
also said he has
essentially given up
on trying to stop
betting on college
games. McCain
believed that
college games were
more prone to being
fixed.
"The issue of
college betting is
not going anywhere.
... The sports
betting thing, that
was over years ago,"
he added. "I've
faced reality. It's
just like with
immigration reform.
Americans want a
secure border."
Several prominent
figures in the world
of online gambling
have leant their
financial support to
the McCain campaign.
-----
Christopher
Costigan,
Gambling911.com
Publisher
CCostigan@CostiganMedia.com
Originally published
July 3, 2008 11:54
am EST
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