Dean Heller: ‘Absolutely’ Can Work With Harry Reid on Internet Poker Bill

Nevada Senator Dean Heller told the Las Vegas Review Journal on Thursday that he was optimistic legislation to allow real money online poker at the federal level can be passed.

First Heller must win back his seat as he is currently in a neck-and-neck battle with Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, one of the most outspoken voices in favor of legalized Web gambling.

"Absolutely, absolutely," Heller insisted when asked about his ability to work with Reid on the matter.

Last month, Reid expressed public outrage over Heller’s apparent inability to round up enough Republican votes.  

"I have no doubt when this race is over, Senator Reid and I will sit down and say, 'Okay, we got this behind us now, let's work together and get this done,'" Heller said of Internet poker. "And I have no doubt that it needs to get done by the end of the year. And I fully support working with Senator Reid in making that happen."

Heller told the LVRJ he believes there's enough support in Congress to approve Internet poker ‘because it isn't like other gambling where people play against the casino house’.   Heller equated the game with players going up against one another in the same vein as a sporting event or chess. 

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher