As more US Republican presidential primaries take place, people all over the world are getting anxious to see who will take on current president Barack Obama for the right to earn the next four years in the White House.
While there are a lot of issues facing the United States, one that is often times brought to the forefront is the potential legalization of online gambling. As with all issues, each Republican candidate has his own stance on what the future holds.
Mitt Romney
As the current Republican frontrunner, it is important to keep a close watch on Romney and his feelings on online gambling. Of course, there is one problem with this: you may not like what you hear.
Time and time again, he has stated he is “not in the betting business” and has no plans for supporting legalized online gambling. His reasoning? Romney is worried that the social costs are entirely too high and that legalization could prey on the addictive habits of many people.
In a recent interview with “Face to Face” with host Jon Ralston, Romney had this to say:
“No, I’m not (a supporter). Gaming has a social effect on a lot of people. I don’t want to increase access to gaming and feel that we have plenty of access to gaming right now through the various casinos and establishments that exist. In some states, there are lotteries that are used to fund their schools and budgets and so forth, and I don’t think online gambling would encourage or improve that setting.”
Rick Santorum
Just when it seems that Rick Santorum’s stance will no longer matter, he picked up big wins in Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri. Much like Romney, Santorum is opposed to the legalization of online gambling. In a recent appearance, he stated that “online gambling is not something that is beneficial.”
Do you think that players and affiliates in the United States agree with him?
Newt Gingrich
Gingrich finds himself in a unique position on online gambling. Recently, it has been brought to the attention of the public that Gingrich has received massive amounts of financial backing from Sheldon Adelson, the current CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp. As the owner of a land based casino, it makes sense that Adelson is opposed to online legalization.
Although Gingrich has not spoken on this subject, it appears that he is following Adelson’s belief (and money) that there is not enough technology in place to ensure that young people are kept away from online gambling. For this reason, he falls into the same category as Romney and Santorum.
Ron Paul
This leaves us with one Republican candidate, Ron Paul. As most people are aware, Paul is opposed to any government action that fights against individual freedom. He has kept this stance when discussing the legalization of online gambling.
When asked the same question as Romney on “Face to Face,” Paul came up with the following answering:
“I think people should have legalized freedom. People should be free and make their own decisions. There should be no regulation on the Internet.”
This statement shows that Paul is by far the only Republican candidate who is in favor of legalizing online gambling.
What are your thoughts on these four Republican candidates and their stance on online gambling? Are you now in favor of Ron Paul winning the nomination?