Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang All-In On Online Poker Ahead of 2020 Election

October 28th, 2019 | by Greg Shaun

US presidential candidate Andrew Yang is all-in on online poker and wants to make it legal in all 50 states.

US presidential candidate Andrew Yang has said he’s in favor of making online poker legal in all US states. (Image: NY Post/Getty Images)

On the campaign trail ahead of 2020’s election, Yang has made a play to win the support of poker players. In a tweet sent out on October 26, the Democratic party candidate said the current dynamic is unfair.

Poker an Important Part of US Culture

As an advocate for enterprise and creating jobs in struggling cities, Yang feels online poker can open up new opportunities.

https://twitter.com/AndrewYang/status/1188162619363868672

Almost as soon as the tweet went out, Yang was flooded with support from the community. Although some feel it could be a political play that sounds good but won’t ultimately go anywhere, others are more optimistic.

ok now I really want you to win the nomination <3
— Liv Boeree (@Liv_Boeree) October 26, 2019

Holy shit!! Show me one poker player who doesnt support Yang and I'll show you a non poker player. We must so all the enrollment we can to get this guy in the Whitehouse. #Math https://t.co/0YWtgSOUc3
— Bill Perkins (Guy) (@bp22) October 26, 2019

While the gap between campaigning and changing the law is a significant one, the news is certainly positive for online poker. Although states such as New Jersey have legalized the game, progress elsewhere in the US has been slow or non-existent.

More states opening up would undoubtedly benefit players but federal legislation is the ultimate goal. In recent months, New Jersey’s falling earnings from online poker have made this fact abundantly clear.

If Yang made it into office, that could happen. A look at a recent opinion poll from Business Insider suggests the lawyer and philanthropist is a live underdog.

Gauging the current state of opinion, the Insider poll found that of the 268 undecided voters who knew of Yang, 46 percent would have him as Democratic nominee.

Online Poker Community Supporting Andrew Yang

Although not an overwhelming amount of support, there are signs that Yang is gaining some traction. With poker players now willing to bang the drum, that could result in more support over the coming months.

US online poker players do have a right to be somewhat skeptical though. When Donald Trump became US president in 2016, hopes were high that he’d legalize online poker.

Having previously said that he was in favor of the industry, some believed federal legislation was inevitable. That fact was given even more weight with the news that noted poker fan Andy Beal was one of Trump’s advisors.

However, three years into his term and the president is yet to make any changes. Yang may be more proactive if he made it to the White House but politics is perhaps an even tougher game than poker.

Even with the best intentions, getting new laws over the line isn’t easy. Therefore, while it’s great to have a presidential candidate on side, major regulatory change is far from a sure bet at this point.