A traitor to Poker.
You can spot this tell a mile away. Steve Wynn, a billionaire Las Vegas casino developer and operator, has come out against the legalization and regulation of online gambling and poker. He claims: “Even though it would be a benefit to our company, we are strongly opposed.”
His real motivation isn’t hard to read. It’s the same motivation as that of certain nations (Germany, Greece and the Netherlands are specified in the article at the link) which are unwilling to legalize online poker “because it would affect their state-run gaming operations.” Online gambling and poker represents major competition for Wynn’s brick-and-mortar casinos. It’s a heck of a lot easier and cheaper for a bloke with a hankering for poker to saddle up to his computer than it is to hop on a plane to Las Vegas. Wynn wants the U.S. government to maintain the status quo and keep this virulent competition out of the mainstream and on the fringe, just as most state governments have long obliged the Las Vegas racket by outlawing gambling in their states to create this artificial oasis in the Nevada desert. Not that the states haven’t also been motivated by a preference that their subjects blow their money on state lottery tickets rather than play a game they actually might win.
I’ve played a lot of poker and am a big fan. I won a seat to the 2006 Main Event of the World Series of Poker by playing in a freeroll tournament at FullTiltPoker.com, and then won almost $18k at the Main Event. Nevertheless, I’m ambivalent about the current push to unequivocally legalize online poker, with its associated promise of “regulation.” The pitch to government is, “Think about all those tax revenues you’re missing out on.” This seems like a sorry deal for poker players.
Here’s a dirty little secret: It’s easier than ever to log-in and buy-in at either FullTiltPoker.com or PokerStars.com. I haven’t heard of any instances in the U.S. of anyone being busted and arrested in their homes for playing online poker. You can draw your own conclusions.
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The funny thing is, in Vegas poker is a ‘niche’ game, not something that you see occupying a large part of casinos. If online poker were legalized then probably the game would become more popular and you’d see more people in Vegas specifically looking to play poker.
To be honest, I’ve never trusted Steve Wynn. He was thrilled when the Chinese decided to allow a gambling district in Macao but as soon as he had his casino up and running there he’s done everything he can to lobby the Chinese not to expand gambling to anyplace else in China. He’s the western version of Donald Trump, but with far less integrity.
1Thanks for being the first commenter on my new blog! Not sure why the comments are showing up with a dark hard to read background. I’ll try to fix that.
I’ve always been disappointed when I’ve gone to Las Vegas to play poker. Online I’ve become a fan of HORSE mixed games, but in Las Vegas except for the World Series all you find is Hold Em, with the rare Omaha Hi-Lo table or tournament if you’re lucky. You’d think that in Las Vegas of all places you’d be able to find somewhere in the city most of the standard variations of poker. Your theory about the probable effect of legalization may be right, because I learned these other games online, and a major motivation for going to Vegas on my last trip was to try to play these other games live (because the casinos and most home games don’t have them). On the other hand, if I just want to play no-limit hold em, it’s a lot easier to play online or with my homeys.
If you’re right about the effect legalizing online poker would have on Las Vegas, Wynn is not only an ass, but a stupid ass. The explosion in the popularity of online no-limit hold em prior to the UIGEA putting a damper on things probably caused a lot of people to go to Vegas who otherwise would never have gone. I probably never would have gone to Vegas if I hadn’t first learned how to play online and in home games.
2the govt will bring back poker. they will regulate it and tax it immediately before it even gets into your account.
3how will they handle the losses?? tax deduction as an expense?