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Billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson has said he will be abandoning efforts to oppose attempts at legalizing state-by-state online gambling in the US, claiming he now has other more important priorities to focus on.
With the help of allies in Congress as well as powerful Washington lobbyists, Adelson devised the Restore America’s Wire Act or RAWA that would have essentially quashed efforts to permit legalized online poker and casino games in states including those where the activity is already legal such as New Jersey and Nevada.
Any future bill brought forward will focus solely on offshore betting sites, according to reports, though it is unclear as to whether such a bill would even be drafted or stands a remote chance of mustering up enough votes for passage during a heated election year.
The current version of RAWA still contains language that still targets US-based operators.
Poker Players Alliance Vice President Rich Muny expressed caution in regard to Adelson’s new stance, “RAWA still exists, so this is no victory lap. We all need to keep up the pressure on lawmakers and ensure this does not end up sneaked in later on.”
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
