Tony Duffy

For the better part of the past two years, Senator Harry Reid has been mum on his plans of backing Representative Barney Frank's online gambling sites. Senator Reid has always turned away Internet gaming legislation in the past to help protect casinos in Nevada.

Now, however, a contribution made to a playtech casino political action committee has some within the gaming community believing it may be the start of Reid backing online gambling law changes in the US. Harrah's Entertainment is the source of the $75,000 online gambling promotions.

While Harrah's has warmed to the idea of online gambling, other prominent Las Vegas gaming companies have not. Wynn Resorts owner Steve Wynn has been the most vocal opponent of web money casinos - webmoney online gambling, and Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson recently made a contribution of $1 million to the Republican governors group.