The senator of South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, has pulled off a slippery move in sneaking in terms that will put a ban on online poker under the newly proposed Appropriations Bill, a bill that is intended for outlining senate spending.
Aside from the banning of online poker, excerpt from the South Carolina Senator would also put a ban on all forms of iGaming in the United States. The 141-page spending bill that allocates $56.3 billion spending money for law enforcement, national security, and American scientific innovation, contains one paragraph that executes a nationwide ban on online poker and other online casino games.
Graham is linked to Las Vegas casino magnate, Sheldon Adelson, who fears that online casino gaming would have crippling effect over his casino empire. This is one of the more logical reasons as to why the good senator has been a firm advocate in the Restoration of America's Wire Act (RAWA), a move that seeks to put iGaming as an interstate form of gambling, which is banned under US gambling laws.
The measure was approved on April 19 by the subcommittee. Amaya Gaming Group employed a lobbyist to work on the online gaming issue. Apparently, during that time, Sheldon also employed a lobbying group that seeks to stop internet gambling. The RAWA hearing went poorly for those who supported the enactment of the prohibition.
Source: http://www.publicgaming.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20243:sen-lindsey-graham-sneaks-online-gambling-ban-into-appropriations-bill&catid=34:internet-mobile-a-other-gaming-news&Itemid=66
