The gambling industry is losing a powerful friend in retiring U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.)—and has geared up lobbying to increase its reach to other elected officials, The Washington Post reported Monday.

The American Gaming Association, under the leadership of CEO Geoff Freeman, has spent "hundreds of thousands of dollars" reaching out to federal and local lawmakers across the country, the Post reported.

Spending by the entire industry on federal lobbying reached $37 million last year, the Post reported, citing figures from the Center for Responsive Politics.

Since Freeman arrived at the group in 2013, revenue has increased to $14 million from $9 million, according to the Post, in part because of the addition of Native American casino operators as members. (AGA has not yet released its 2015 Form 990; revenue was $11 million in 2014, according to the latest tax filing.)

Freeman and AGA's lobbyists have traveled the country establishing relationships with state and federal lawmakers in states where casinos are growing, the Post reported. They include Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Iowa, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

But the industry remains split on the issue of online gambling.

"That's a complicated issue for us," Freeman told the Post. "Our members are not aligned on that. That's why we've focused on issues where we do have alignment."

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