SOURCE: iGaming Business

The governing body of professional basketball in the United States, the National Basketball Association (NBA), spent over $300,000 last year to help preserve a ban on sports gambling.

According to the Associated Press news service, the NBA paid McGuirewoods Consulting $280,000 for the second half of 2007, bringing the total paid to the Congressional lobbyist for the year to $330,000.

McGuirewoods also lobbied Congress on behalf of the NBA to uphold the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and prohibit online gamblers from collecting earnings on wins.

UIGEA makes it illegal for U.S. banks and credit card companies to process payments to online gambling sites.

According to a mandatory form filed online by the Senate's public records office, the lobbyist worked on behalf of the NBA to "strengthen prohibition against Internet gambling" along with Federal decency guidelines, drugs and steroids policy and in support of work visas for foreign players.