Infopowa's ICEi 2007 Report

**Casinomeister** · 25th January 2007, 07:19 PM

http://www.casinomeister.com/news/ja...4/icei2007.php

**RobWin** · 29th January 2007, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by Casinomeister

http://www.casinomeister.com/news/ja...4/icei2007.php

Jet or Bryan, just curious if you guys or anyone you know maybe asked the Large Software Providers or one of the Large Online Casino Groups at ICE why none of them got together and threw some money at one of the US Lobbyist Groups to challenge the attachment of the UIGEA Bill ?

**RobWin** · 29th January 2007, 04:40 AM

Originally Posted by Casinomeister

http://www.casinomeister.com/news/ja...4/icei2007.php

Very good report.

**jetset** · 29th January 2007, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by RobWin

Very good report.

Thanks.

To answer your earlier question I think most of the large groups did invest in lobbying operations in the USA through one channel or another. The trouble was that like most other initiatives in this very competitive industry there was no really cohesive effort, which in hindsight may have diluted the impact.

There was also an element of complacency which might have inhibited more energetic budgetting in this direction.

But I'm voicing an opinion with the benefit of hindsight which is always 20/20 LOL!

I think another factor here was the political skill (or chicanery, depending on your perspective!!!) of Frist and Co which took even experienced Washington lobbyists by surprise.

**RobWin** · 29th January 2007, 06:31 AM

Originally Posted by jetset

Thanks.

To answer your earlier question I think most of the large groups did invest in lobbying operations in the USA through one channel or another. The trouble was that like most other initiatives in this very competitive industry there was no really cohesive effort, which in hindsight may have diluted the impact.

There was also an element of complacency which might have inhibited more energetic budgetting in this direction.

But I'm voicing an opinion with the benefit of hindsight which is always 20/20 LOL!

I think another factor here was the political skill (or chicanery, depending on your perspective!!!) of Frist and Co which took even experienced Washington lobbyists by surprise.

Thanks Jet, I tend to agree with your analogy.

**dominique** · 29th January 2007, 12:30 PM

The DOJ was very targeted in removing one of the most active lobbies just before that law passed - sportsbetting. BOS was effectively out of the game, as well as sportingbet.

At the same time the Abrahms (sp) scandal emerged.

If that had not happened, things would have gone the same way as all the years before.

This was all well planned and well timed and caught everyone by surprise and spread fear throughout the industry. There is a very powerful, influential and wealthy force driving this, and my assumptions point to the NFL.

**RobWin** · 30th January 2007, 01:16 AM

Originally Posted by dominique

The DOJ was very targeted in removing one of the most active lobbies just before that law passed - sportsbetting. BOS was effectively out of the game, as well as sportingbet.

At the same time the Abrahms (sp) scandal emerged.

If that had not happened, things would have gone the same way as all the years before.

This was all well planned and well timed and caught everyone by surprise and spread fear throughout the industry. There is a very powerful, influential and wealthy force driving this, and my assumptions point to the NFL.

You're right about the NFL Dom, but don't forget how much Harrah's HET donated to this UIGEA Bill, all total being in the 100's of thousands. The last figure that my Harrah's contact told me was approx. 389K and this is just one casino group ( granted the worlds largest ) but this doesn't take into account how much was donated by MGM and the others.