Sen. Lindsey O. Graham is a long shot to be president. So the South Carolina Republican, who announced his campaign Monday, needs help from some very powerful people to reach his ultimate goal. Actually, there’s one person, in particular. Graham is hoping to get a boost (in the form of millions of dollars to his super PAC, preferably) from Jewish mega-donor and Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. Adelson is a rich man with a near-singular focus on one issue: banning online gambling. It’s a moral hazard to America’s great nation, says Adelson, who has vowed to “spend whatever it takes” to ensure…

The U.S. government’s attempt to crack down on Internet gambling is widely seen as a convoluted mess. Yet, more controlled and defined regulation would likely benefit the $41 billion industry and protect consumers alike, finds a new study by Michigan State University business scholars. The study is the first to estimate the costs and benefits of the Unfair Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2006. Despite ongoing uncertainty and confusion stemming from the law, the industry has reacted positively, with the value of publicly traded online gambling firms increasing nearly 3…

The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission has signed a letter of intent with the Netherlands Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) to form a working relationship once the Dutch Gaming and Betting Act is approved. Although online gambling has not yet been legalised in the Netherlands, many expect the country’s government to pass proposed legislation later this year. If the legislation does pass, the Isle of Man body will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with its counterpart in the Netherlands and begin cooperation and information sharing in regards to online gaming activities. The partnership comes after the Alderney Gambling Control Commission…

Could gambling expansion grab a seat at the Pennsylvania budget negotiating table? In a sense, it already has. Lawmakers in both the Republican-controlled Senate and House are vetting proposals for Internet-based gaming with the potential to turn every digital device – at least those in the hands of adults – into a “gaming position.” Another perennial, authorizing gaming machines in bars and taverns, is also getting a fresh look. This is not, in bettors’ parlance, a lock. The Republican leaders still publicly list pension reform and liquor privatization as their top budget priorities. It is also not clear that either…

Those of you rooting for the demise of Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson might have finally gotten your wish. On Friday, the Guardian published an article saying that Adelson will soon face graft accusations in a US court of law. If you have no idea what graft is, we’ll let a dictionary fill you in: “practices, especially bribery, used to secure illicit gains in politics or business; corruption.” According to the Guardian, the charges stem from allegedly nefarious actions at Adelson’s all-important casinos in Macau and, if prosecutors are successful, could spell the end of his gaming licenses in…

The regulated online poker industry in the United States has found itself in the unenviable role of being a piñata for Sheldon Adelson, his Coalition to Stop Internet Gaming, and anyone else with a fiscal or moral ax to grind against regulated online gaming. These naysayers usually take their potshots, and aside from columnists and iGaming advocates, the regulated online gaming industry never hits back. One person who threw a few blows recently was Lyle Beckwith, the vice president of government relations for the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). Beckwith penned an op-ed that graced the cyber pages of…