Nevada congressman asks Forbes to pull virtual casino’s ad

Scott Sonner

Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999 | 10:37 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - Republican Rep. Jim Gibbons and Nevada gambling regulators want GOP presidential hopeful Steve Forbes' magazine to pull advertising that promotes an offshore Internet gambling site.

Wincity Casino and Sportsbook, based in Antigua, are misleading readers with the Forbes magazine ad, which gives the impression it has the stamp of approval of the Nevada Gaming Commission, Gibbons said Wednesday.

"Their magazine needs to understand the deceptiveness of this type of advertising," Gibbons said in a telephone interview from Washington.

The virtual casino's ad in the Oct. 11 edition says, "All games operated in accordance with Nevada Gaming Commission Guidelines."

But Gibbons and commission Chairman Brian Sandoval said there is no assurance that the cyberspace casino is following the guidelines.

"With offshore companies, there is no ability to enforce the rules and regulations. If you even win one of these games, how do you enforce collection?" Gibbons said.

The Nevada congressman sent a letter to Forbes on Tuesday asking him to "use your leadership and influence with Forbes magazine to not run these misleading advertisements."

Gibbons urged the magazine to do "all that can be done" to prevent casino and sportsbook operations inside people's homes. Legislation to ban gambling Internet sites is being considered by Congress.

Forbes is on leave as publisher of the magazine while he campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination. He was traveling in England on Wednesday and not immediately available for comment, campaign spokesman Ben Gettler said from Virginia.

A spokeswoman for the magazine's communications department in New York said no one was immediately available to respond to the letter.

Gibbons, a conservative, has not endorsed anyone for president.

Sandoval said he is especially sensitive to the ad because he advocates keeping Internet gambling illegal in Nevada.

"For them to create the impression that this is in compliance with Nevada Gaming Commission rules is offensive," Sandoval said.

His commission sets rules for slot machines, card and table games. It also determines who may receive a Nevada gambling license. It has no jurisdiction over operations outside the state.

"We can't call them before the commission. All we can do is go to the publisher of the magazine," Sandoval said.

Wincity's Web site also advertises that all games are operated "in accordance with Nevada Gaming Commission Guidelines."

Forbes, a New Jersey resident, has been critical of legalized gambling. He said he voted against introducing casino gambling in Atlantic City in 1977.

In a 1996 column panning proposals to allow video gambling on airplanes, the magazine publisher wrote: "We have enough gambling opportunities on the ground. There ought to be a haven in the heavens from these temptations."