Steve Wynn Worried That Internet Poker Could Increase Regulation Of Brick-And-Mortar CasinosCEO Of Wynn Resorts Solidifies His Opposition To Web Gaming |
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Billionaire casino boss and Las Vegas legend Steve Wynn shares Sheldon Adelson’s unwavering opposition to online gaming, and at the G2E gaming conference this week in Las Vegas said that casino games on the web could hurt his land-based casinos.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Wynn told an audience that Internet gaming wasn’t a solid moneymaker right now (Wynn is right on this at least), but that the activity also carries a big risk—one that he thinks could jeopardize the entire casino industry.
Wynn believes that if Internet gaming goes wrong—we’re not talking about lackluster revenues but rather some sort of public relations crisis—then state governments might look to increase “regulation or oversight for land-based gambling.”
That’s a Republican’s nightmare—and Wynn and Adelson are staunch conservatives.
Even though a PR crisis resulting from online gambling exclusively is unlikely, Wynn’s point is slightly more measured than what others have put forth about brick-and-mortar gambling suffering as a result of people being able to play games in pajamas from their homes.
The latter argument is fiercely refuted by those—and there are many in this camp—who argue that online gaming can create a synergy between the live and virtual spaces.
Wynn’s comments are underscored by the fact that some criticized the regulatory review process in Massachusetts (where Wynn just won a bid to build a casino in the Boston area) as being too cumbersome. Some were once worried that the whole gambling expansion plan could unravel.
Generally speaking, the U.S. casino industry is always on the defensive, trying to convince Americans that the industry is vital to the overall economic health of the country. Recently, the American Gaming Association, which is tasked with this perpetual PR battle, came out with data that said the casino industry contributes $240 billion to the economy.
Adelson keeps harping on his apparently morally-based belief that web poker sites can’t prevent minors from playing, and Wynn seems to share this concern by worrying about a PR crisis. Both casino owners are criticized on this point by the fact that underage gamblers make it into brick-and-mortar casinos too, and that the online space actually provides more robust safeguards.
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