- Former Vice President Joe Biden does not want to see a change to the Wire Act of 1961 that could hurt the online gaming world.
- Biden believes that states nationwide should be able to make wagering a safe and fair hobby for all citizens in the U.S.
- The Department of Justice Wire Act Opinion for the reversal was put on the backburner by a New Hampshire federal judge, putting a stop to any future changes back in April.
LAS VEGAS – Democratic candidate for the 2020 Presidential Election Joe Biden believes that changes to the Wire Act of 1961 will hurt the gaming industry. The Department of Justice Opinion is considering changing the Wire Act back to its previous state before 2011. This could prove to be problematic for the internet gaming markets as they would be banned from doing business. Biden does not want to see all of the progress that has been made in the market to be erased by the proposed reversal.
Biden’s campaign gave a statement to CDC Gaming Reports where he states he “doesn’t support adding unnecessary restrictions to the gaming industry as the Trump Administration has done.” It is Biden’s belief that the Wire Act continues with the 2011 judgment from the Justice Department that allowed for minimal restrictions on the wagering of sporting events and legal internet gambling. Delaware (Biden’s home base), Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are the four states given the opportunity to offer internet poker and various casino-style gaming.
What Would A Change To The Wire Act Mean?
During a speech with the Culinary Workers Local 226 in Las Vegas, Biden answered plenty of questions from the audience but the crowd did not address any questions having to do with gambling. His campaign decided to put out a statement to make sure the public was aware of the former Vice President’s stance on the issue.
In his statement, Biden said gaming and tourism are “huge drivers of Nevada’s economy and support more than 360,000 jobs.” He went on to say that the Trump administration has come up with this reversal in an “effort to turn its back on the international community” and in doing so has “resulted in recent drops in international travel to the United States.”
Analysts in the gaming business agree that changes to the Wire Act will have a severe impact on the gross gaming revenue (GGR) in the US as well as possible suspensions of internet lotteries and gaming altogether. Presently, there are 19 states with legalized sports betting although not all have embraced the internet aspect of the gaming world. Biden (+275) holds the best odds for a win of the Democratic candidacy of the 2020 Presidential Election. His odds to win the presidency are set at +600. With his new views about gambling being made public, there are sure to be voters out there that enjoy the pastime who may now be in his corner.