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It appears as if Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson has decided to do an about face when it comes to online poker legalization in the US.
Jon Ralston of the Las Vegas Sun reported late Tuesday night that Adelson suddenly has become “morally opposed” to online poker after being at the forefront of the push to get the industry legalized in the US over the past few years.
Adelson has informed a key senator, Arizona's Jon Kyl, as well as the American Gaming Association. Adelson has told folks that he is morally opposed to web gaming, that technology to bar minors is untested and that he believes it will be an "unnecessary distraction" in 2012, the source told me. Adelson had been lobbied by many folks on Las Vegas Boulevard South, including, I'd guess, his new best friend, Steve Wynn.
Hard to see how it gets out of the House now.
But Internet poker is already legal in the state of Nevada where intrastate play will be permitted. Licenses are likely to be issued as early as February.
This week, Texas Republican Congressman Joe Barton, who drafted legislation to regulate online poker at the federal level, attended the Digital Gaming and Lottery Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.
Gambling911.com was not able to confirm Ralston’s report at this time.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
