Battle plan on betting ban is sought

Jeff German and Cy Ryan

Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000 | 11:17 a.m.

Casino industry leaders gathered today in a long-awaited summit to rally support in the battle against the NCAA's push to ban betting on college sports.

Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, speaking from Washington during a telephone conference with the board of the American Gaming Association, urged industry executives to maximize their resources and come up with a comprehensive strategy to step up the heat on the NCAA.

Some of the biggest names in the industry, including Desert Inn owner Steve Wynn, Harrah's Entertainment Inc. Chairman Phil Satre and MGM MIRAGE co-chief executive Dan Wade, were on hand for the Las Vegas meeting.

Reid told the gaming leaders they need to take a more active and personal role in the fight on Capitol Hill.

Also attending the summit was Bill Bible, chairman of the Nevada Resort Association, gaming's local political arm, and AGA President Frank Fahrenkopf, the industry's chief Washington lobbyist.

On Tuesday in Reno, Fahrenkopf said Nevada faces an "uphill battle" in Congress.

Fahrenkopf said it was too early to tell if the near-even split of parties in the Congress will help or hamper Nevada sink the NCAA-inspired legislation.

There will be a 50-50 split in the Senate, and there are only nine more Republicans than Democrats in the House. Given this division, Fahrenkopf said Tuesday at the Governors Conference on Tourism that there may not be much legislation passed.

But he said many in Congress see this as an "apple pie" issue that could gain easy approval.

Fahrenkopf accused the NCAA of conducting "a disinformation campaign" to persuade Congress to ban college sports betting in Nevada, the only place where it is allowed.

Law enforcement, he said, estimated wagering on sports events in the United States approaches $380 billion. But of that, only $2.3 billion -- less than 1 percent -- is in Nevada, he said.

There are 11 states with commercial gambling, and the industry has "never been in a better position," he said.

For five years, he added, Congress and government regulators have not enacted any laws or regulations that were adverse to the casino business, its employees and its suppliers.

In the sports betting controversy, Fahrenkopf said there was a break in favor of the gaming industry. An association of national newspapers, he said, intends to continue to publish the lines even if betting is outlawed.

The "line" is the point spread between the favorite and the underdog.