Presidential Candidates Address Online Gaming before Nevada Caucus

Law Blog Update

Topics: Epic Poker League, Law Blog, Online Poker, Legislation, Politics [+]

When the Republican presidential hopefuls first began campaigning in 2011, only one was willing to take a stand on online gaming in the United States. Former Governor Gary Johnson not only supported online gaming but also traveled to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas to talk about it. The other candidates did not respond to requests for statements on the subject, nor did President Barack Obama.

Johnson and others have since dropped their Republican presidential bids, and only four candidates remain. After the Florida primaries, they headed to Las Vegas and other Nevada cities to campaign for votes in next week’s caucus. Congressman Ron Paul and former Governor Mitt Romney addressed questions pertaining to online gaming in that process.

Paul’s views on the subject are not particularly surprising, as he is known for his Libertarian-leaning views on social issues. In an interview this week on “Face to Face with Jon Ralston” in Las Vegas, Paul expressed his view of the legalization of Internet gaming:

“I think people should have legalized freedom. I think people should be free and make their own decisions and there should be no regulation of the Internet. Right now, we are winning our fight against the effort to regulate the Internet with the Stop Online Piracy Act; we won that one. That’s been removed, although they’re still trying to get around that thing. So people should have a right to their freedom. I don’t know why people should be so frightened about that.”

Ralston also interviewed Romney and asked him about legalized online gaming. Romney does not support it and commented as such.

“No, I’m not (a supporter). Gaming has a social effect on a lot of people. I don’t want to increase access to gaming and feel that we have plenty of access to gaming right now through the various casinos and establishments that exist. In some states, there are lotteries that are used to fund their schools and budgets and so forth, and I don’t think online gambl … gaming would encourage or improve that setting.”

The only aspect of Romney’s position that could be perceived as sympathetic with tens of millions of American poker players is that he corrected himself and referred to the matter as “online gaming” instead of “online gambling.” As he is the Republican frontrunner, that’s not very encouraging.

Former Congressman Newt Gingrich and Senator Rick Santorum have yet to address the issue of online gambl … gaming.