Sheldon Adelson Criticizes Online Gambling
Oh Sheldon, the fun just never stops with you, does it?
At the G2E Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas on Wednesday, October 1st, Sheldon Adelson once again spoke out against online gambling, saying that there’s “no reason casinos should be in the pockets of every single American”. He’s definitely feeling the pressure of online casinos. He knows that people would definitely gamble online instead of driving to one of his casinos, especially when online sites offer no deposit bonuses.
His argument is the same tired argument he’s preached for months, if not years – what if someone of legal age signed in on a mobile device then passed the device off to a minor? This isn’t a very valid argument, though, as it can apply to literally any other situation in life. Think about it. Underage drinking, youths smoking, guns fall into the wrong hands – yet there’s no giant movement to roll back alcohol sales, it’s taken decades to get anything done about cigarettes, and guns continue to be sold every day.
The interesting thing about his statement wasn’t the statement itself – it was the fact that very few people in the casino industry applauded. This shows that the tide is turning, and that it’s just a matter of time before online gambling takes the country by storm.
It’s a change in Adelson’s initial stance, but it’s a horizontal change. Initially, it was said that he was against it because it’d hurt his family’s business. Now, he’s going with the “who’s behind the device?” defense, stating that his dad was a gambler and he doesn’t want other families to suffer the same way that he did.
Adelson, who is the 12th richest person in the world according to Forbes, is a significant fundraiser for the Republican party. Most recently, he was giving money to Rick Perry, probably in hopes that if Perry made it to office, he’d pass anti-online gambling legislation. Perry was indicted a couple of months ago, greatly reducing his chance at being elected to office, should he decide to run.
We feel like the end of the opposition to online gambling is quickly approaching. Many are realizing that it’s the future of this industry, and whether Sheldon Adelson wants to admit it and embrace it or not, it’s going to happen. The general public realizes this, as do casino officials, which is why his statements were met with such a tepid response.
For now, it’s time for Sheldon Adelson to retreat and rethink his strategy. The same excuses aren’t working anymore. Over the next few months, it’ll be interesting to see and hear what kind of things come out of Sheldon Adelson’s party. The future is upon us, whether he wants to acknowledge it or not – his model is antiquated and will soon be replaced.