Sheldon Adelson Launches Worldwide Attack Against Regulated Online Gambling

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Monday, July 8th, 2013 | Written by Stephen Smith

Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson is no stranger to controversy or the power of the media.

And in recent weeks, Adelson has mixed both to form a potent attack against the increasing global regulation of online gambling – including online poker.

Began pushback against regulation with criticism in US media

Adelson’s pushback against online poker and online gambling regulation began with a series of volleys in the American media, starting with a no-holds-barred takedown of online gambling in an op-ed for Forbes.

Following that piece, which garnered nationwide attention, Adelson took to Bloomberg with a televised interview that saw the billionaire dig even deeper into his anti-online gambling position. He also clarified that he sees no reason to carve out an exception for legal online poker in the U.S., an activity he feels should be treated the same as any other type of gambling.

Regulation of online gambling, warned Adelson, will bring nothing but economic problems and a rash of problem gambling behavior in the United States.

His salvo ended with the launch of an advocacy website dedicated to stopping the march of regulated online gambling at both the state and federal level in the U.S.. The website offered little in the way of new information, and was primarily a reprint of the original piece Mr. Adelson published in Forbes.

Shifted his attacks to the Spanish market

It took only a few days before Adelson expanded the scope of his lobbying beyond the United States and into Europe.

Reports out of Spain revealed that Adelson is apparently involved in a “dispute” with Spanish authorities. The nature of that dispute, according to Spanish media, involves Adelson’s plans to build a massive casino in Madrid – and his apparent desire to limit the competition that regulated online gambling in Spain might present to his proposed development.

Unlike the United States, where online gambling regulation is still an ongoing process, online gambling is fully regulated in Spain. This means Adelson would be faced with the task of modifying existing laws and regulations, as opposed to the potentially easier route in the United States of simply stalling regulation before it becomes law.

Some have questioned the motivation behind his criticisms

While Adelson has framed his objections in largely moral terms, some of his critics and opponents believe that the issue isn’t one of morality at all for Adelson, but one of competition.

Adelson’s position, they claim, reflects his lack of preparation – and lack of partnerships – through which to profit from worldwide online gambling regulation.

Adelson supported online gambling at one point

One of the supporting arguments often raised in support of that theory is the fact that Adelson did, at one point, embrace online gambling.

He is on record both in 2000 and in 2006 offering at least general support for the idea of regulated gambling and his company’s interest in participating in regulated online gambling markets, both domestic and abroad.

In fact, Las Vegas Sands – where Adelson is CEO – publicly announced intentions to develop an online gambling site for the UK market in late 2006. Those plans never materialized, but the fact that they were announced at all shows that the company – and Adelson – have been anything but staunch opponents of online gambling over the life of the industry to date.

Players propose boycott in response

In addition to critics and dissenters, Adelson’s position has drawn the ire of much of the poker-playing community. And that ire has manifested itself into a proposed boycott of Adelson’s Las Vegas properties, specifically the poker room at the Venetian.

The boycott is tentatively scheduled for late July. But past similar attempts have resulted in little impact, and it’s tough to know how much of the online anger from poker players will actually translate into real-world action.

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