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A five-hour Senate hearing was held Wednesday to determine whether real money Internet gambling should be allowed in the state of Pennsylvania.
Only one man opposed such a measure. Andy Abboud represents the Keystone State’s biggest casino, the Bethlehem Sands. He’s also the mouthpiece for Sands Chairperson Sheldon Adelson, one of the richest men in the world and a mega donor to the Republican party. What impact that will have on members of the state Senate, which has a slight Republican majority, remains to be seen.
On the other end of the spectrum, owners of Parx Casino, SugarHouse Casino and Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course were among those who voiced their support for legalized online gambling.
"Mr. Abboud, your testimony is different than others and I have to ask why," said Sen. Randy Vulakovich, R-Allegheny. "What do you know that they don't know?"
Abboud addressed the panel by suggesting their would be legal and societal risks associated with the activity.
“Gambling can be a vice that needs to be controlled in a casino setting,” he commented. “It is not a right that belongs in homes.”
He continued: “Casino companies that want online gambling will be treated like cigarette manufacturers in public opinion and courts. When technology fails to keep youngsters from gambling or creates problem gamblers, the casinos will be subject to class-action lawsuits like cigarette companies were for hiding the harmful effects of smoking and marketing to young audiences via Joe Camel.
"If that new [gambling] market is youth, then this is our Joe Camel moment," Abboud said. "It's so fundamentally stupid. There would be so many class action lawsuits and so much liability."
Adelsson has mounted a nationwide ad campaign focusing on the ills of Web gambling and the ease of access for those that are underage. Abdoud wasn’t entirely alone in his apprehensions.
Gov. Tom Corbett via his spokesman, Jay Pagni, did raise the issue of minors gaining access to online gambling sites.
"The governor's concerns include access for children and individuals with problem gambling," Pagni said.
There was no vote on Wednesday. Actual voting was likely to take place July 1 as part of the passage of the 2014-2015 budget.
If passed, Pennsylvania would become the 4th state to legalize Internet gambling along with neighboring New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
