“I’ve had the distinct pleasure of going to Sin City every year for the past decade, since I’m involved in the online casino industry. The cavalcade of characters who find their way to Las Vegas every year is fascinating. You’ve got the regular tourists from China, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, America, and Canada blending in with the Las Vegas locals. Mind you, the locals are more likely to welcome you with a forlorn, ‘Welcome to Lost Wages’ with their outstretched arms than with a Hawaiian luau and a big smile. Las Vegas is a dazzling city of spectacular entertainment, massive winning opportunity, and delectable cuisine. It is a smorgasbord of tantalizing delights and a blended mix of worldly cultures.
The sad truth about Las Vegas, and the colourful characters who comprise it is this: Everyone in Las Vegas is part of what I call the ‘Peripatetic Movement’. All those folks are merely passing through, getting from point A to point B, and back again. To many it is the long walk of shame – coming to Las Vegas with a fistful of dollars and leaving with a nickel or dime. The only folks who have dropped anchor in Las Vegas are a powerful group of CEOs and their corporations. Leading the charge is MGM Resorts International which owns approximately 60% + of the casinos on the iconic Las Vegas Strip. And MGM Resorts International was founded by one man, Kirk Kerkorian. He was the most powerful man in Las Vegas for years, until his ‘timely’ death in 2015 at age 98 in Beverly Hills, California.
How Are Casino Moguls Shaping the Politics of the Country?
The Vegas Strip features everyone from Star Wars Storm Troopers to Britney Spears and even Jerry Seinfeld. Throw in your thrill seekers, pot smokers (Nevada legalized recreational marijuana on 1 January 2017), drunkards and showgirls, Vegas is a fun town where the only real winners are the casino operators. But it’s all in good fun, right? But if you’re wondering where your hard-earned cash is going, you may want to consider the politics of the city’s top brass. The casino industry is dominated by colourful characters, including Steve Wynn of the Wynn Resorts and Sheldon Adelson of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation.
Will Sheldon Get the No-Vote on Online Casinos?
These two casino magnates (Adelson and Wynn) are responsible for shaping public policy more than the public is aware. This is especially the case with Sheldon Adelson. Adelson has a net worth of approximately $30.9 billion, largely due to his ownership of the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center. FYI, Sheldon Adelson is not all about fun and games – he’s a serious political power player. Last year he pledged $5 million for GOP front-runner, Donald J. Trump in the 2016 presidential election. That pales in comparison to the money he poured in to getting Republican congressional candidates elected. On that score, Adelson spent a whopping $40 million. And what pray tell is the powerful man’s agenda? Well, he is anti-online gaming.
In May 2016, Adelson privately met with Donald Trump. The two discussed how Adelson could commit funds to the Republican’s election campaign. Speculation was rife at the time, with Adelson aides suggesting he would contribute towards the super PAC which allow for unlimited private donations. Over the years, Adelson has been donating hundreds of millions of dollars to Republican candidates, with some $98 million donated in 2012 alone. When Adelson met with Trump at the St. Regis Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, he impressed his views upon Trump on many hotbed issues including an outright ban on online casinos. While Adelson and Trump don’t see eye to eye on many issues, the former penned an article where he stated Trump is a candidate with actual CEO experience, shaped and molded by the commitment and risk of his own money rather than the public’s. Adelson is clearly a power player in Las Vegas, and his money moves mountains on Capitol Hill.
How Will Casino Moguls Influence the Freedom of the Press?
Las Vegas is a city of fun and games. It doesn’t much matter what anyone thinks about it, provided that players are allowed to engage in their hedonistic antics. It’s a place where you let your hair down, lose a little money and see a few shows. The press tends to cover Las Vegas and everything that goes on there with the levity that it deserves. Vegas is a fun place and it doesn’t much matter who the president of the United States is – the media gets carte blanche to waltz in and waltz out as they desire. In fact, if anything the election of Donald Trump will be a good thing for the casino industry and its operators such as 888casino and others. His name was emblazoned across the Trump Taj Mahal and numerous other hotel and casino establishments in Atlantic City.
Now, the Vegas skyline takes on an entirely new meaning with Trump as the president of the United States. Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas is just off the Vegas strip, but it stands as an imposing and stately structure. Patrons may feel differently about it now that the head honcho is also sitting pretty in the Oval Office. Trump has promised to separate his business activity from his presidential responsibilities, and his family has been entrusted with the task of running his mighty empire. Will they abuse his power as president for personal gain? That is a question best left to the elite few who have the wherewithal to effect policy changes in the country. My humble guess is as good as yours – provided the press provides coverage that is favourable to those in power, they will be free to say whatever they like.