Rising interest in online gambling legalization

6/9/10 – The latest statistics on lobbying expenditure in US politics indicates that there is still a keen interest in online gambling and the legalization question.
 
Mark Balestra’s e-gaming consultancy BolaVerde Media Group has released a report on declared lobbying expenditure over the first quarter of 2010, which shows that Harrah’s Entertainment Incorporated is still a big spender in the sector as it promotes the idea of legalised online gambling.
 
Through the months of January, February, and March 36 separate parties spent a total of $4.2 million lobbying members of Congress and other groups.
 
Harrah’s spent $905,515 lobbying for legalised online gambling followed by the US Chamber Of Commerce at $664,441, the UC Group at $522,239, the Poker Players Alliance at $450,000 and the Interactive Gaming Council at $439,080.
 
However, the tougher economic times have shown an estimated overall decrease of 18.4 percent in lobbying costs for the first quarter of 2010 compared to the previous three-month period.
 
Among the companies investing in lobbying activity was MGM Mirage, GTech, Party Gaming, Wynn Resorts, PokerStars, the American Gaming Association, Betfair and the National Football League
 
When categorised by group, ‘operators’ spent the most at approximately $1.38 million while Congressman Barney Frank’s Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection And Enforcement Act drew the most number of ‘unique lobbying filings’ with 36.5 percent.