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Casino lobby drops pro-Internet gambling advocacy

By WTOP Staff

MICHELLE RINDELS
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The casino industry’s main lobbying group has quietly ended its push to legalize online gambling nationwide, a shift from a few months ago when it urged Congress to approve and regulate the practice.

The American Gaming Association’s move comes as the matter sharply divides its members, who have joined rival coalitions for and against a bill that would impose a blanket federal ban on online gambling.

“It is not an issue we are focusing on, but rather letting others take the lead,” American Gaming Association spokesman Christopher Moyer said Thursday.

AGA will instead hone in on more mundane issues such as modernizing license and regulation systems because “the AGA Board, including members on all sides of the issue, collectively agree that the right role for its trade association is to advocate for the many issues that unite our industry,” President Geoff Freeman said.

Officials with the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling declined to comment. The Coalition for Consumer and Online Protection, a pro-Internet gambling group, said it would continue its fight against a congressional ban.

Freeman took the helm of the association last spring on a mission to find consensus on online gambling, which is already legal in three states. But that task has proven all but impossible.

Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson has backed a bill, introduced in both chambers of Congress in March, that would make the practice illegal nationwide. The billionaire Republican super donor said he worries that placing a casino on every mobile device would devastate poor families, and he’s vowed to do whatever it takes to stop the spread of Internet gambling.

MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment have invested in the burgeoning industry and take an opposite stance on the bill. Freeman took their side when he testified before Congress in December that banning online gambling would strengthen the black market.

“Make no mistake, online gaming is here to stay,” Freeman said at the time. “It is time for Congress to adopt sensible online gaming regulations that open the Internet to the millions who wish to play responsibly — while protecting children, assisting those with gambling disorders and empowering law enforcement.”

But over the past few months, the group has shown signs of backing off its bullish stance. In a March interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, AGA Chairman Jim Murren — head of MGM Resorts and an online gambling supporter — said he thought the trade group should soften its rhetoric on the divisive issue.

“I don’t want the AGA to find itself mired in a tremendous amount of controversy and infighting,” Murren told the newspaper. “I have no interest in engaging in a fight we cannot win financially.”

Freeman said earlier this month at a gambling conference in Mississippi and then again in an interview this week with the Wall Street Journal that AGA would no longer be involved in the matter.

Online gambling occupied a legal gray area until a federal crackdown in 2011. But later that year, the Justice Department said all online gambling except sports betting was legal, as long as it’s permitted on the state level.

Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware have forged ahead, legalizing the practice among players who log in within their state lines. At least eight states have introduced legislation aiming to capture a potential windfall from online games, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Morgan Stanley predicts that by 2020, legal online gambling in the U.S. will generate $8 billion a year.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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