Steve Wynn reiterates opposition to online gambling

In a wide-ranging interview on PBS Nevada television program “Ralston Reports”, billionaire land casino tycoon Steve Wynn talked about the Macau decline, his business ambitions and online gambling legalisation, along with healthcare and tax issues.

In a brief comment Wynn, who at one time held talks on internet poker with Pokerstars (see previous reports) but subsequently changed his position, reiterated his opposition to online gambling legalisation, saying:

“I believe that Internet gaming is not going to happen in any way that is meaningful for Las Vegas.”

Later in the interview, which is interesting and worth viewing in its entirety, Wynn opined that online gambling stood little chance of legalisation at the federal level, commenting:

“I don’t think it has any chance of getting through the House of Representatives, and even if it did, it would be at the behest, at the encouragement, of the state lottery boards who want to go into that business. I am not going to get into [online gaming]. We’ll get blamed if anything goes wrong.”

Wynn’s view coincides with that of fellow land casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, although he has not been as active as Adelson in funding moves to ban internet gambling.

The issue has split land gambling managements, with Caesars, Boyd and MGM among major groups embracing the opportunities presented for new business which online gambling creates.

The Ralston interview is here: http://watch.knpb.org/video/2365482629/