Mitt Romney Comes Out Against Online Poker

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney came out against regulating online poker in the United States last week, a stance that attracted strong responses from groups such as the Poker Players Alliance.

Romney told media in Las Vegas that he would oppose online poker at the federal level due to “the social costs and peoples’ addictive gambling habits.”

This elicited a rebuke from the PPA, which felt that Romney’s position was based on faulty information.

“Governor Romney’s statement seems to be based on a misperception of regulation and the status quo,” said John Pappas, Executive Director of the PPA. “Regulation will mean strong enforcement and meaningful consumer protections, while doing nothing will only exacerbate any perceived problems he has with gaming.”

Romney is far from the only Republican candidate who has come out strongly against online gambling during the Presidential campaign. Conservative candidate Rick Santorum, who won the Iowa Caucuses, has also come out strongly against any form of online gambling.

“I’m someone who takes the opinion that gaming is not something that is beneficial,” Santorum said during a televised interview.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich also remains in the running for the Republican nomination. While Gingrich hasn’t had much to say about the subject of online poker, his campaign has strong ties to Sheldon Adelson, the CEO of Las Vegas Sands. Adelson has reportedly spent over $10 million in efforts to elect Gingrich.

Of the remaining contenders in the Republican primary race, libertarian Ron Paul has been the most supportive of online poker. However, Paul’s chances of winning the Republican nomination are remote at best.

Although few states have voted in the Republican primaries so far, it appears that Romney is the overwhelming favorite to claim the party’s nomination. Most early polling suggests a close battle in a hypothetical race between Romney, who is a former governor of Massachusetts, and sitting President of the United States Barack Obama.