A Las Vegas Sun roundup of the presidential field gives some helpful guidance. For instance, we’ve long known that Jeb Bush (R) was anti-
casino, despite gambling expansion on his watch in Florida. Martin O’Malley (D) was in similar circumstances in Maryland but could at best be called a lukewarm supporter. Enthusiastic supporters are relatively few: Lincoln Chafee (D), Chris Christie (R, left) and Donald Trump (R) and, at least to an extent, Rand Paul (R). Bernie Sanders‘ (D) position is inscrutable, although Vermont is hostile territory to gaming, while George Pataki (R) is schizoid, strongly supportive of terrestrial gambling but opposed to it on the Internet. GOP candidates are more often than not opposed to Web wagering … they want Sheldon Adelson‘s money after all.
Some candidates were against gambling before they were for it, such as Hillary Clinton (D), Ted Cruz (R) and Jon Kasich (R, below). Others have consistently been against it, including Bobby Jindal (R, 
who’d like to confiscate unclaimed gambling winnings), Mike Huckabee (R), Lindsey Graham (R), Scott Walker (R), Marco Rubio (R, no friend of tribal gaming), Rick Santorum (R) and Rick Perry (R). The latter, however, enjoys a complicated relationship with Station Casinos, which lost $100 million in Texas teacher-pension money in its LBO gone bad. “Complicated” would also describe Walker’s relationship with Wisconsin tribes but that’s still likelier to go over better in Indian Country than memories of Bush’s “Call me Bwana” attitude toward the Seminole Tribe, which futilely tried to negotiate a compact with him.
Gambling will hardly be a “wedge issue” in this campaign, not least because the federal government’s power to intervene is so limited (thank God). But if you like playing online, your choices are decidedly limited.
