Caesars Entertainment, one of the world’s largest casino groups, is stepping up a lobbying campaign to legalise online poker to overcome “bizarre” regulations that allow US-based gamblers to play yet bar US companies from operating the games.
Gary Loveman, chief executive of Las Vegas-based Caesars, told the Financial Times there was “a will” in the US Congress to change the law and allow US companies to operate poker websites.
Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, and Barney Frank, the former chairman of the House financial services committee, are among congressional leaders known to back a change in the law. Mr Loveman insisted it was in the interests of the US government to approve a new regulatory framework.