Who really penned the new Utah online gambling banning bill?

According to respected journalist and head of the Las Vegas Review-Journal Washington Bureau, Steve Tetreault, there are strong indications that the draft of a bill proposing the banning of online gambling across the United States was not penned by its introducer, Utah Republican Representative Jason Chaffertz, but by a lobbyist employed by Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands group.

In a tweet linking to the draft at http://ow.ly/d/20dI,Tetreault wrote: “Fingerprints: Properties of this no-web gaming bill draft shows it was writtn by registerd lobbyist 4 SandsCorp.”

The journalist went on to explain that the draft of the Internet Gambling Control Act attributed to Chaffertz was the work of Darryl Nirenberg – a Washington anti-gaming lobbyist who represents Adelson´s company.

Tetreault claims the properties of the online document clearly indicate that the legislation was drafted by Nirenberg – a partner in the lobbying company of Steptoe & Johnson.

The bill seeks to resurrect a more specific version of the Wire Act in order to impose a federal ban on all forms of Internet gambling, including online poker, state lotteries and sports betting.

There is an important carve-out for online wagering on horse-racing in a nod to Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and his Kentucky constituency.

Following up on his discovery, Tetreault tried to obtain an explanation from Chaffertz, but the Utah politician was “not available.”