"I was surprised to learn that Congress is considering a bill that would legalize gambling on Internet poker. I think it's a terrible idea, and I'll tell you why.

As a former gaming regulator during the second Sawyer administration (1963-67), I saw the consequences of unregulated gambling up close and personal, and that's why I oppose Internet gambling and urge the Nevada Gaming Commission to prohibit its licensees from operating Indian casinos. In my view, we shouldn't authorize any form of gambling that falls short of our strict gaming control standards, which protect customers and assure that the state collects its fair share of gross winnings.

After an August meeting in Reno, gaming executives said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had indicated he would support legalization of online poker — a claim his staff later refuted.

As a former Gaming Commission chairman, Sen. Reid should know better. Apparently, Northern Nevada casino executives told Reid that online poker could harm their businesses and cause even more layoffs in their struggling casinos. Exhibit “A” is Reno's Siena Hotel-Casino, which has filed for bankruptcy and is barely managing to keep its doors open.

“It (online poker) is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Peppermill marketing director Bill Hughes. “It will only draw more money out of this state.”

“If you want Nevada to survive, you don't open that door,” warned Eric Dale, general manager of Baldini's Sports Casino in Sparks."

Get the Story:
Guy W. Farmer: Internet gambling: A bad bet for Nevada (The Nevada Appeal 10/3)

Also Today:
Casinos Now See Online Gambling as a Better Bet (The New York Times 10/4)