Huffington Post: Where the GOP Candidates Stand On Gambling

The Huffington Post’s Ron Dicker published a piece this weekend on the four remaining US GOP candidates and their stance as it relates to gambling. 

Gambling911.com founder Chris Costigan was quoted in the piece as it relates to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. 

"I can't see Romney supporting gambling. I just can't see it," said Costigan.

Dicker points out that Romney told the Las Vegas Sun in November he would clarify his stance on Internet gambling.  But Gambling911.com’s own Thomas Somach doubts Romney will present a clear position as someone who has wavered on the gambling issue as a Massachusetts Governor. 

Somach wrote: 

Gambling911.com investigated Romney's record on gambling issues as Massachusetts governor and learned that early in his term as governor (he served from 2003-2007), he was for expansion of gambling in the state.

But later in his term, he had done a complete 180-degree reversal on the issue and was robustly against any new gambling in the Bay State.

And the reason for the flip-flop?

It was, Gambling911.learned, because he was considering a run for President, and conservatives in key primary and caucus states told him he'd never win unless he was anti-gambling!

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich’s stance as it relates to gambling may not be immediately clear but what we do know is, among his biggest donors is none other than Vegas casino mogul billionaire Sheldon Adelson. 

The odds are against Gingrich supporting legalized Internet gambling in the US if Adelson does have any say in the matter.

Dicker writes: 

If it can be assumed that Gingrich owes allegiance to Adelson, how does that manifest itself? On the one hand, Adelson presides over a brick-and-mortar multi-billion dollar gambling empire from Bethlehem, Pa., to Singapore. But on the other, Adelman has come out against online gambling because he was not convinced the technology could block children from using it. Adversaries say the Sands is ill-equipped to compete if Internet gaming ever gets the full go-ahead, so Adelman is merely protecting his investment. Does Gingrich declare as pro land-based gambling and anti-online gambling? Or does he bend to evangelical interests and stop all gambling progress on the federal end?

Supporters of sports-betting should take note that Gingrich was listed as a cosponsor of the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The law remains on the books to stop 46 states from booking bets on sporting events. In the latest challenge to the law, a bill is set to be introduced by New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D) on Monday to make New Jersey the fifth state that can host sports betting.

While Texas Congressman Ron Paul remains a long shot, he is likely to stay in this for the long haul and can potentially pick up wins/delegates in caucus states like Minnesota, Nevada and Colorado. 

Paul told our own Jenny Woo:

"Mine is a philosophic position but I think it's a sound position," the candidate said as it relates to online gambling specifically.   "I think it's something that you can defend as being a strict constitutionalist and I just don't see government being the moralist deciding how we spend our time whether is good or bad.  I have a strong belief that the individual gets to make that choice so the fact that I don't gamble doesn't really influence me in my positions on this issue."

- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com