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 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has changed his stance on online gambling. The Senator recently stated he would be willing to support legislation for online poker though he is still opposed to other forms of online gaming.
Many were surprised by the Senator's recent shift in position but an article on eGaming Review suggests that the change in stance of the American Gaming Association (AGA) is likely the largest factor of the recent shift. Reid after all hails from Nevada a place where land casinos hold a significant stake in the constituency. Earlier this year the AGA appeared to soften its stance on online gambling.
AGA president Frank Fahrenkopf stated that the official position of the AGA on online gambling legislation is that it is monitoring the situation. Sure, the interview did not reveal an all out desire to see online gaming become a reality but it was in essence a declaration of its inevitability and their acceptance of it. The AGA is currently working to ensure that provision are put in to place that would prevent sites which continue to operate illegally in the U.S. from benefiting from gambling friendly legislation.
With many land-based casinos making the move to the online world it is likely their hope that by putting in such provisions they can remove some of the competition in the already flooded market. Now that Reid has switched his stance it will be interesting to see what other Senators have to say on the matter.
We'll keep you posted on any startling developments.
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