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  $3.3 Mill Spent Lobbying I-gaming Policy in US, 2nd Half '073 March 2008
According to Congressional records, Internet gambling legislation attracted approximately $3.3 million in lobbying at the federal level during the second half of 2007. The grassroots Poker Players Alliance (PPA) was the largest spender, budgeting $1.2 million to federal lobbying efforts throughout the period. Representing the interests of 935,000 members, the PPA supports efforts to regulate Internet poker and to have it exempt as a game of skill from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. The organization reported $780,000 of in-house expenses for lobbying conducted by Executive Director John Pappas in addition to another $420,000 paid to four DC-based firms. The second largest spender is the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC), an industry association that has been lobbying for legislative reform since 1999. The group is composed of some of the global industry's most successful companies, including 888 Holdings, Full Tilt Poker and Playtech. The IGC spent a combined $490,000 with four DC-based lobbying firms in the second half of 2007. Operator PartyGaming spent $220,000 independently and rival Sportingbet spent $80,000 independently. Another group trying to influence policy at the federal level is the American Gaming Association (AGA). Composed of land-based casino operators and suppliers, the AGA is a proponent of legislation that would commission the National Academy of Sciences to study Internet gambling in order to determine the appropriate government response. The bill's sponsor is Nevada's Representative Shelley Berkley. The AGA's report says the group is interested in a bill that would regulate and tax Internet gambling, as well as the the bill that would exempt skill games from the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, but the group is not obliged to report what position it takes on issues. The AGA was neutral on the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006. The AGA reported $800,000 of in-house lobbying expenses during the last half of 2007. The sum went toward lobbying on two other issues besides Internet gambling: taxes and tourism. Additionally, the AGA paid $125,000 to DC-based Duberstein Group for lobbying on Internet gambling and tourism. Duberstein Group directed its efforts to the House of Representatives and the Department of the Interior. AGA members Harrah's Entertainment, MGM Mirage and Station Casinos each hired their own lobbyists for independent representation on the issue. Both the Family Research Council and the Christian Coalition of America devoted a portion of in-house lobbying spending toward Internet gambling opposition. Internet gambling is one of 16 broad issues on which the Family Research Council spent $40,000 trying to influence lawmakers. For the Christian Coalition Internet gambling was one of 15 issues on which it spent $300,000. America's sports leagues hired lobbyists to ensure betting on their events remains illegal. Lobbyists reported contracts with the National Football League (NFL), the NFL Players Association, the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association. Horseracing industry bodies the American Horse Council and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association also lobbied on the issue, as did horserace betting operator Magna Entertainment. Federal legislation currently exempts remote wagering on horseraces in states where the activity is legal. In all, federal lobbyists reported working for at least 25 different organizations on the issue of Internet gambling during the period. Author's Note: The Lobbying Disclosure Act requires all lobbyists at the federal level to report all of their lobbying income and to specify whom they represent and on which particular issues. Organizations that use in-house staff to lobby must report their lobbying expenses. Reports must be filed every half-year and are made available to the public over the Internet. The figure $3.3 million is an estimate. In cases where lobbyists reported working for an organization on a number of issues, I divided the lobbyists reported sum by the number of reported issues. For example, the AGA reported in-house expenses of $800,000 for lobbying on Internet gambling and two other issues. My figures assume that the funds were distributed equally across the three issues and estimate the spending on Internet gambling at $266,666. All information can be verified through the Senate's Lobbying Disclosure Act Database: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/Public_Disclosure/LDA_reports.htm. American Gaming Association - $329,166 (estimated) The American Gaming Association reported $800,000 of in-house lobbying expenses during the second half of 2007. The sum was distributed across three broad areas, one of which is:
President and CEO Frank Fahrenkopf and the three Vice Presidents of Government Affairs, Brett Hale, Walton Chalmers and Dorothy Jackson, are the individuals who acted as in-house lobbyists for the AGA on Internet gambling issues. Additionally, the AGA paid $125,000 to DC-based Duberstein Group for lobbying services. The sum was distributed across two broad areas, one of which is Internet gambling policy, expressed in precisely the same terms as in its own report. American Horse Council - $10,000 (estimated) The AHC paid $20,000 to Davis & Harman LLP for lobbying services. The sum was distributed across two broad issues, including gambling, specifically:
Antigua Online Gaming Association - $120,000 The Antigua Online Gaming Association paid $120,000 to DC-based Black Swan LLC for lobbying services on:
Avatar Enterprises - $60,000 Avatar Enterprises paid $60,000 to DC-based Sher & Blackwell LLP for lobbying services on:
Baker Tilly - $140,000 Baker Tilly paid $140,000 to DC-based Alston & Bird LLP for lobbying services on:
Christian Coalition of America - $20,000 (estimated) The Christian Coalition reported $300,000 of in-house lobbying expenses. The sum was distributed across 15 broad areas, one of which is:
Family Research Council - $2,500 (estimated) The Family Research Council reported $40,000 of in-house lobbying expenses during the second half of 2007. The sum was distributed across 16 broad areas, one of which is:
GTECH - $40,000 GTECH paid $40,000 to DC-based BKSH & Associates for lobbying services on:
Harrah's Entertainment - $33,333 (estimated) Harrah's paid $100,000 to Alexandria, Virginia-based US Strategies for lobbying services. The sum was distributed across three broad issues, one of which is:
Interactive Amusement & Tournament Video Game Coalition - less than $10,000 The Coalition paid less than $10,000 to DC-based Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP for lobbying on:
Interactive Gaming Council - $490,000 The IGC paid $90,000 to DC-based Private Public Solutions LLC for lobbying services on:
The IGC also paid $60,000 to DC-based Mattox Woolfolk LLC for lobbying services on:
Mattox Woolfolk directed efforts to the House of Representatives. The IGC also paid $300,000 to DC-based Greenberg Traurig for lobbying services on:
The IGC also paid $40,000 to DC-based Patton Boggs for lobbying services on:
Interactive Skill Games Association - $140,000 The Interactive Skill Games Association reports $80,000 of in-house lobbying expenses during the second half of 2007. The entire sum went toward:
Harlan Goodson acted as in-house lobbyist for the ISGA on Internet gambling issues. The Interactive Skill Games Association also paid $60,000 to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman for lobbying services on:
Magna Entertainment - $20,000 (estimated) Magna paid $40,000 to DC-based DLA Piper US LLP for lobbying services. The sum was distributed across two broad issues, one of which is:
MGM Mirage - $13,333 (estimated) MGM Mirage paid $160,000 to DC-based Cassidy and Associates for lobbying services. The sum was distributed across six broad issues, one of which is:
National Basketball Association - $40,000 (estimated) The NBA paid $280,000 to DC-based McGuirewoods Consulting for lobbying services. The sum was distributed across seven issues, one of which is:
National Collegiate Athletic Association - $20,000 (estimated) The NCAA reports $100,000 of in-house lobbying expenses. The sum was distributed across five broad issues, one of which is:
National Football League - $109,166 (estimated) The NFL paid $655,000 to DC-based Covington & Burling LLP for lobbying services. The sum was distributed across six broad issues, one of which is:
National Football League Players Association - $20,000 (estimated) The NFL's Players Association paid $60,000 to DC-based Baach Robinson & Lewis for lobbying services. The sum was distributed across three broad issues, one of which is:
National Thoroughbred Racing Association - $13,333 (estimated) The NTRA paid $40,000 to DC-based Davis & Harman LLP for lobbying services on:
Office of the Commissioner of Baseball - $84,000 (estimated) The Commissioner's office paid $420,000 to DC-based Baker Hostetler LLP lobbying services. The sum was distributed across five broad issues, one of which is:
PartyGaming - $220,000 PartyGaming paid $120,000 to DC-based Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker for lobbying services on:
PartyGaming also paid $100,000 to DC-based Parry Romani Deconcini & Symms for lobbying services on:
Poker Players Alliance - $1.2 million The PPA reports $780,000 of in-house lobbying expenses on:
Executive Director John Pappas is the individual who acted as in-house lobbyist for the PPPA. Additionally, the PPA paid $240,000 to DC-based Ogilvy Government Relations for lobbying on:
The PPA also paid $40,000 to DC-based Barnes & Thornburg LLP for lobbying services on:
The PPA also paid $80,000 to DC-based Patton Boggs LLC for lobbying services on:
The PPA also paid $60,000 to DC-based Mattox Woolfolk LLC for lobbing services on:
Sportingbet - $80,000 Sportingbet paid $80,000 to DC-based Buchanan Ingersol & Rooney P.C. for lobbying services on:
Station Casinos - $30,000 (estimated) Station Casinos paid $60,000 to DC-based ML Stategies for lobbying services on:
UC Group - $140,000 UC Group paid $140,000 to Alston & Bird LLP for lobbing services on:
$3.3 Mill Spent Lobbying I-gaming Policy in US, 2nd Half '07
is republished from iGamingNews.com.
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