While a lot of my posts tend to factor in political themes as a matter of covering this industry, I usually try to generally avoid outright political commentary.
But as we enter the closing weeks of this election season, I can't deny the fact that I receive a lot of comments and questions asking: "I am a sports gambler, which candidate is best for me?"
So here I go...
Let me start by pointing out that in the larger scheme of issues facing America right now, sports gambling seems pretty insignificant right now.
Between the economic crisis and looming recession, the ever-concerning oil situation, the environment, and - oh yeah - the war in Iraq, I think that basing your vote upon a candidate's position on online gambling would be a little short-sighted.
But we also can not forget that, in these scary economic times, online gambling offers a positive revenue opportunity for government coffers that simply
does not exist anywhere else.
In fact, if you are concerned about the economy right now - and who isn't? - then you should be very interested that PriceWaterhouseCoopers has already completed an analysis stating that legalizing and regulating the online gambling industry
would increase federal revenues by as much as $42.8 billion over the next few years.
Yes, that is billion, with a "b".
With those numbers in mind, I think it is simply irresponsible that the current administration has maintained a policy of trying to abolish the industry entirely.
This continually and intentionally missed opportunity sticks out like a sore thumb.
So, the question now becomes: Which party or candidate would be most likely to embrace the online gambling industry and its benefits?
The only way to answer this is to look at the facts. And the facts are very clear.
Without trying to sound too partisan, the only logical answer to the question is: The Democratic Party and Barack Obama.
While I am sure their are dissenting voices in each party, the fact remains that the Republican Party is almost solely responsible for the current state of the online gambling industry.
Let me lay out a few of those facts:
- John McCain's Republican Senatorial cohort in Arizona,
Jon Kyl, is the very public face of the anti-online gambling crusade. And it is a crusade too. This is a completely ideologically-driven enterprise. Oblivious of the facts and even suppressing them, Kyl has repeatedly launched or supported ideological legislation that would criminalize or marginalize the industry.
- Republican Bill Frist used highly unethical political maneuvering to ensure the UIGEA was passed into law in 2006 - an event that launched the current Ice Age in the online gambling industry.
- Barney Frank's bill, H.R. 5767, was defeated in committee in a vote that fell along party lines.
... And those are but a few examples of situations where Republican politicians betrayed their free market instincts and instead allowed ideological beliefs to cloud their judgement at the expense of the American people.
Now, you might ask me: What about the Dems and Obama? Are they any better?
Really, I'm not certain. As mentioned above, online gambling is not on the political radar right now, so it is hard to find examples where the Democratic Party or Obama have stated their official policies on the subject.
But it is also a fact that Barney Frank has repeatedly championed this cause, and he is a Democrat. Likewise for Jim McDermott, another Democrat who has pushed for legalization.
So while Barack Obama himself may not have a strong opinion about online gambling, it is clear that other members of his party are more inclined to lean towards legalization.
And what about McCain? Isn't he a known gambler who has spent extensive time playing craps in casinos?
Absolutely! In fact, McCain's propensity for gambling was one of his traits that used to attract me to him. Likewise, he has distanced himself in the past from Jon Kyl's ridiculous anti-online gambling crusade. Another reason to like McCain. In previous elections, he was my preferred candidate.
However, anybody who has followed McCain in the past year or two has noticed a real hardening of his extreme right-wing rhetoric. As he has embraced the extreme right, it becomes very hard to believe that he would be able to maintain their support and still accept the idea of legalizing an activity that goes against their beliefs.
Now, some conservatives are clinging to the idea that McCain is only embracing the evangelical crowd in an attempt to grab their votes, and if he wins the presidency he will revert back to his old maverick self and make sensible decisions. Thus, they feel he would look at the facts and legalize online gambling as a sensible solution.
To those people I ask: Are you really sure McCain is going to change? His campaign has already exhibited an alarming number of gaffes and questionable decisions that are a far cry from the sensible man who campaigned in 2000. What makes you think this guy will be able to reclaim his identity? Maybe he HAS changed for real?
So I am going to end this by reiterating the point I made at the start of this post...
This election is probably (and hopefully) the most important election we will see in our lifetimes. The current administration has managed to ruin pretty much everything they have touched. The economy, the environment, Iraq, health care, oil prices, jobs, etc., are all issues in dire need of competent attention.
America needs to be fixed, and online gambling is one of the least important issues to be worrying about - even if it promises a much-needed boost to federal revenues.
However, if you have looked at the facts surrounding those issues and still find yourself on the fence, then I would suggest that the Democratic Party and Barack Obama, appear to offer a more positive outlook for the online gambling industry.
So if online gambling is the swing issue for you, cast your vote accordingly.