Forbes, the famous American business magazine, has recently taken a poll on legalizing online gambling. The results show that most US billionaires are interested in backing up this measure at federal and state levels.
Influential US gambling magnate, Donald Trump, has mentioned several times during 2012 that legalizing online gambling won’t hurt the Las Vegas business model, claiming that It’s happening all over […] The playing field is a lot different than it was 10 years ago.
Trump also negotiated with several gambling sites, including 888 Casino, the idea to create a joint venture in online poker.
888 Casino CEO, Brian Mattingly, said in an annual financial report in December:
We are more than ready to take advantage of liberalization in the industry […] We have a unique position in the U.S. allowing the launch of a real money offering immediately as either federal or state based regulation is finalized and upon licensing by gaming authorities.
Other big fish like Steve Wynn, head of Wynn Resorts land casinos, together with Pokerstars are backing up online poker legislation in order to obtain the senate’s endorsement throughout the country.
Apollo Global Management Ent., owned by Leon Black, Joshua Harris and Marc Rowan, holds part of Caesars Ent. land based casino. Apollo Global Management already possesses poker licenses for operating in the state of Nevada, but still keeps pushing the resolution on interstate online poker legislation to the senate.
Other billionaires such as Lorenzo & Frank Fertitta, owners of Cyberarts poker software development, also applied for online poker licenses in the state of Nevada, seeking joint ventures with Pokerstars and other online gambling sites in the US.
Last but not least, Steven Roth and Richard Bronson, owners of US Digital Gaming Ent., a gambling software developer, have been promoting and supporting online gambling policies as well as providing government agencies and operators with a legal and responsible online gaming system.
Since September of 2012 many US states like New Jersey, Iowa and California have been seeking the senate’s approval for legalizing more land based casinos and gambling sites. Nevertheless, skepticism is strong mostly due to data protection, control and licensing issues.