Sheldon Adelson's RAWA Petition Not Going to Well
RAWA is the brainchild of handsome octogenarian and multi-billionaire bricks and mortar casino magnate Sheldon Adelson
Sheldon Adelson's opposition to internet gambling is always going to pose a threat to the industry, especially since the Las Vegas Sands boss has openly said that he is, "willing to spend whatever it takes" to stop the industry in the United States - and Adelson has some seriously deep pockets. However, it looks like his latest attempt to halt online gambling in its tracks; namely RAWA (Restoration of America’s Wire Act) is going to suffer a setback as a recent petition passed around to the country's Attorney Generals to sign in favour of RAWA is performing rather pitifully.
RAWA was reintroduced in both chambers of Congress this year by Repulican's Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Jason Chaffetz, and while Chaffetz has long been vocal in his disapproval of internet gambling, according to the nationaljournal.com Senator Graham had historically been quiet on the issue until last year, when his sudden interest coincided with an infusion of campaign cash from Adelson, who donated more than $15,000 to Graham’s 2014 bid to earn a third Senate term. Hmmm.
Further to this, a couple of months ago couple of pro-Adelson AG's South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster began circulating a petition to other state AG's to sign in favour of RAWA. As of today that petition has garnered a mere 8 signatures (including Wilson and Koster's) and is unlikely to get many more.
The one surprising name on the list of supportive AG's was Nevada's Adam Laxalt. By signing the petition Laxalt seems to be advocating harming his own state's economy what with Nevada being one of the 3 states which currently have regulated online poker - something which would immediately shut down if RAWA succeeded.
The eight signatures will soon be winging their way over to the leadership of the Judiciary Committees of both the U.S. House and Senate, urging them to support RAWA, as well.