Land Casino Lobbyist to Rep Churchill Downs Online Gambling
As Churchill Downs made moves this week to expand its domination of online gambling in the US, the company also prepared to protect itself with lawmakers by hiring a long-time lobbyist for US land casino interests. D. Brett Hale, formerly of the American Gaming Association, a land casino industry organ, will become Churchill's senior vice president of corporate and government relations.Hale has worked for the AGA as a top executive lobbyist dealing with the US government for the last eight years. Before that, he was chief of staff for US Representative Ed Whitfield, and had worked on the staffs of Senators Slade Gorton and Mitch McConnell.
Speculation has arisen as to why Churchill's online gambling is allowed to operate after repeated announcements by the US Department of Justice that it considers any and all forms of online gambling illegal in the US. That favored position may have grown stronger with the introduction of such a behind-the-scenes power broker as Hale.
The AGA has long been an opponent of Internet gambling, but recently some members, including Harrah's Entertainment, have reversed position and now pursue regulation of online casinos and gaming. But the AGA lobby is well-entrenched in the US legislative system, and continued protectionism toward Churchill's as it absorbs Youbet.com is most likely a company priority.
Hale can certainly be useful to Churchill in his ability to influence lawmakers and shield Churchill from open competition in online gambling.
Robert L. Evans, Churchill CEO, said Hale "will make a valued contribution to advancing our business strategy and performance at both the state and federal level.”
