Gambling ought to be just that — a game of chance.
Not politics.
Casino baron Sheldon Adelson apparently prefers the latter. He doesn’t like online gambling because it competes with his bricks-and-mortar Vegas operations — which include the famous Sands hotel and casino and also the Venetian. He has become a billionaire several times over (his estimated net worth is $32.2 billion, according to Forbes) but apparently, that’s not enough.
He wants it all.
By ending all competition.
Which he intends to do not by out-competing his rivals but by outlawing them.
For which he needs politicians.
Like Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, for instance. He and two other Republicans — Lindsey Graham of South Carolin and Mike Lee of Utah — just resurrected a new version of an old (and Adelson-backed) bill that would ban online gambling.
The bill (S.3376) has the inscrutable (and wordy) title: “To ensure the integrity of laws enacted to prevent the use of financial instruments for funding or operating online casinos are not undermined by legal opinions not carrying the force of law issued by Federal Government lawyers.”
But it might be better styled the Adelson Protection Act of 2016.
He certainly paid enough to deserve some credit for this proposed legislation.
The Washington Post revealed that Adelson gave $20 million to a political action committee with close ties to the Republican leadership, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. The day after this generosity became public knowledge, Adelson’s bill was introduced.
What was it the Church Lady on “Saturday Night Live” used to say?
How convenient!
This PAC — a super PAC, actually — is styled the Senate Leadership Fund and almost all of its funds come from Adelson and his wife. According to the Post, this super PAC – which just happens to be run by McConnell’s former chief of staff Steven Law — scooped up $28 million in August, with $20 million of that coming from you-know-who.
When someone pays $20 million, it’s not for nothing. Adelson expects something in return for his money — and it appears Senate Republicans are going to try to give it to him. Not by outlawing online gaming directly. But indirectly, by making it illegal for banks to process receipts derived from online gaming. Which is not unlike Henry Ford saying customers could have any color Model T they liked… so long as it’s black.
Only, worse — because Henry Ford couldn’t prevent customers from going across the street and buying a blue or yellow Chevy. It is certainly understandable that Adelson is miffed by the rise of lower-cost gaming options that — as he sees it — takes away from his bottom line. This is the reflex action of established players dealing with changing times.
Hard copy publishers — and bricks and mortar book stores — are not happy about Kindle readers and Amazon.com, either. But (so far) they haven’t funneled millions to political action committees in order to make Kindle readers illegal, or tried to thwart Amazon.com by making it unlawful for financial institutions to process online orders.
Why should online gaming be targeted?
Adelson claims it’s “for the children,” but this is risible given how Adelson earns his living.
If Cotton and other GOP pushers of S.3376 were making a moral argument against gambling per se, that would be one thing. At least they’d have an intelligible argument – that gambling is a dangerous vice that ought to suppressed.
But they aren’t targeting gambling.
They are targeting some gambling. The gambling that Adelson doesn’t control — and which doesn’t make him money. Again, how convenient.
Ironically — and unlike the bricks-and-mortar bookstore example above — online gambling is less a threat to Adelson’s well-padded pocketbook than he seems to think it is. His Vegas operations are destinations. People pay top dollar to stay at the Sands and Venetian – and usually stay awhile.
An online gamer might spend 15 minutes on the computer and be done. He’s not paying for drinks and meals or lodging.
Adelson’s operations offer more than just gambling — and they are making plenty of money.
Maybe not enough for Adelson — but that ought not to be the basis for corrupting the legislative process for his sake.
The recent presidential election sent a message that the public is tired of insider deals, crony capitalism and government of, by and for the politically connected. Senate Republicans especially ought to take this lesson to heart.
If they make the mistake of carrying water for the likes of Sheldon Adelson, the next election’s results may be a lot less favorable than last week’s.
Eric Peters is an automotive journalist and author. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.
