Thursday's hearing in the Pennsylvania House Gaming Oversight Committee showed what can happen when Sheldon Adelson's anti-online gambling rhetoric is met by educated lawmakers prepared to question his scare-tactic generalities and untruths. In short, Adelson and his lackey are made to look foolish.
Chief Adelson lackey and Las Vegas Sands executive Andy Abboud spewed so much nonsense at the hearing that the Poker Players Alliance produced an eight-page document directly refuting 18 of his points.
Abboud even implied that the Justice Department opinion that the Wire Act doesn't apply to online gambling outside of sports betting was paid for by the gambling industry, ironic since there would be no discussion of a federal Internet gambling ban without Adelson's money.