Harrah's contribution to Senator Reid campaign bodes well for online gambling bill

Now, however, a contribution made to a political action committee has some within the gaming community believing it may be the start of Reid backing online gambling law changes in the US. Harrah's Entertainment is the source of the us$ 75,000 contribution.

Harrah's contributed us$ 75,000 to the Patriot Majority PAC. The Patriot Majority has spent over one million dollars to help Reid get re-elected. He is facing stiff competition for his Senate seat in the upcoming mid-term election.

The Las Vegas gaming companies have long opposed any changes to the current law. The land-based casinos have always feared that online gambling regulations could lead to a decrease in business at their land casinos. Harrah's is one of the groups that has started to change their stance on the issue.

Harrah's recently launched several online gambling websites, and has been preparing for possible law changes. Currently, the firm has their online casino operating only in jurisdictions where Internet gambling is regulated.

While Harrah's has warmed to the idea of online gambling, other prominent Las Vegas gaming companies have not. Wynn Resorts owner Steve Wynn has been the most vocal opponent of online gambling legislation, and Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson recently made a contribution of us$ 1 million to the Republican governors group.

Although the Internet gambling issue is not completely drawn along party lines, it was a Republican majority Congress that pushed through the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006. Democratic leaders have led the charge to overturn the UIGEA in the past two years.