Smackdown! Gloves Come Off In Fight To Legalize U.S. Online Gambling
Added: Jan. 27, 2014
In one corner we have the leading contender, none other than the infamous Sheldon Adelson. You have to know who Adelson is, he is a whopper among big busines magnates. Sheldon is currently the chairman and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation which just so happens to be the parent corporation operating The Ventian Resort Hotel Casino as well as the more famous Sands Expo and Convention Center. These casino properties, as you know, are a land based operations.
If you have been following along with the seemingly never ending drama in the United States with the start and stop approach to legalizing online gambling you will remember that Sheldon came out swinging just recently. In other words, not in my backyard you don’t. Sheldon is vehemently opposed to any sort of online gambling operations at all in the U.S.
In his latest moves, Sheldon is attacking on two separate fronts. On one hand, he is opening up his enormous wallet and let’s be polite and call it lobbying in Washington. At the same time, he just penned a letter to all the attorney generals throughout the United States coyly asking for their support. You have to appreciate his tactics if nothing else. This innocent sounding letter is couched in terms like “…seeking clarification about the Scope and Interpretations of the Wire Act.
On the other side of the ring are the proponents of legalizing online gambling within the U.S. Don’t be fooled by these last ditch efforts from a business magnate who is suddenly feeling threatened. Right now, the anti-Sheldon battle is being waged by a tag-team duo comprised of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) and the American Gaming Association (AGA).
The PPA is urging its fellow members to tweet these same attorney generals themselves to express their opposition to Sheldon’s letter. In fact, the PPA made it super easy for their members to participate. The PPA set up a special section on their website to tweet directly.
Along with the PPA, the American Gaming Association is also expressing its opposition to Sheldon and his bully tactics. In a recent address to the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States, the CEO of the American Gaming Association, Geoff Freeman pulled no punches when he spoke out against Sheldon. In an interesting side note, Las Vegas Sands is also a member of the AGA.
How will this battle end? Most observers conclude that Sheldon is fighting a losing battle. In other words, the door is already open and its now only a matter of time.