The campaign to send a message to Sheldon Adelson continues to gain steam.
The upcoming five-day boycott of the Venetian Poker Room is less than two weeks away. The boycott is in effect for July 22-26. This bold initiative has attracted lots of positive reactions and additional publicity.
The boycott has been written about at several popular poker and gambling websites. We’ve received positive coverage in the Las Vegas Sun newspaper. The Hill, which covers Washington politics and the Capitol Hill scene, has referenced the boycott with a direct link. Since my announcement, I’ve been asked to do about a dozen interviews which were met with unanimous support and encouragement. In fact, many poker players want to do even more. Some fellow activists hope to take this movement one step further and boycott the Venetian year around.
For those with lingering questions about why this boycott is being called for, I have completed some “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) which I hope will explain what we are doing, what I hope others will do to help, and what we expect to ultimately accomplish.
Before proceeding, here’s a big thank you to everyone for all the support. The more poker players who join this boycott, the more clear the message will be sent to Sheldon Adelson that we will not stand by passively while he trashes our game and denies us our rights.
Question: Why are you calling for a boycott of the Venetian Poker Room?
Answer: We must send a loud and clear message to Sheldon Adelson that poker players will not allow an out-of-touch multi-billionaire with unlimited financial resources to control and potentially stifle the national debate about the legalization of online poker. Mr. Adelson doesn’t simply oppose online poker as a personal belief. He’s taken the offensive, having appeared on several broadcasts recently in addition to having writing editorials in national business journals. He’s also currently financing a website that’s spreading some terribly misleading information about online poker. Furthermore, he’s creating mass-media infomercials which he hopes might sway the debate in his favor. Far worse however is that Mr. Adelson has even gone so far as to make the outrageous claim that poker isn’t a game of skill — a position that’s not only demonstrably false but insulting to all those who love to play the game. We must all put a stop to this. SOURCE HERE
Question: Who is Sheldon Adelson?
Answer: Sheldon Adelson is described as a business magnate, with huge holdings in the casino business. He is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which owns and operates the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, in Las Vegas. According to several reliable sources, Mr. Adleson is currently the 24th richest man in the world.
Question: Doesn’t Mr. Adelson have the right to stand for what he believes?
Answer: Absolutely. Just as we have an equal right to stand for what we believe. Mr. Adelson has no more rights than any poker player. But because he’s rich and powerful, he gets lots of free press, and we don’t. The Venetian Poker Room boycott is a chance for all poker players to unite as a single voice. It’s a chance to show the gaming industry, Las Vegas, and the press that poker players are outraged by Mr. Adelson’s blatant hypocrisy and deception.
Question: What has Mr. Adelson said specifically about online poker that you disagree with?
Answer: Here are just a few of the statements he’s made recently — 1. “Online gambling is not a threat to my business. It’s a threat to our society—a toxin which all good people ought to resist.” (SOURCE HERE) 2. “Money is not the consideration with me.” (SOURCE HERE) 3. “Online gambling makes it possible for bets to be placed by anyone at any time. When gambling is available in every bedroom, every dorm room and every office space, there will be no way to fully determine that each wager has been placed in a rational and consensual manner.” (SOURCE HERE) 4. “That skill base is, in my opinion, just a bunch of baloney. To get a card is not skill base. I know people say it is skill-based, but it’s just so they can categorize it in a certain segment.” (SOURCE HERE). 5. “I believe that poker and other forms of gambling, poker particularly since it’s considered a social activity and not gambling per se, kids will get up in the middle of the night if they cannot sleep, or they come home late and they challenge each other to say, ‘let’s play some poker or some blackjack.’ They are going to lose.” (SOURCE HERE). 6. “Click your mouse and lose your house” isn’t a marketing slogan for advocates of legalized online gambling. But it should be.” (SOURCE HERE). Each of these comments is false. It would take no more than a few minutes to destroy each of these statements with facts. Unfortunately, his ongoing pattern of spreading misleading information only seems to be getting worse.
Question: Isn’t your opposition to Sheldon Adelson mostly political?
Answer: It’s no secret I’m an outspoken progressive on most matters, while Mr. Adelson is a staunch conservative. We’re in total disagreement on many important domestic and international issues and I’d welcome the opportunity to debate any of these topics with him. Fortunately, his voice on these matters isn’t having much of an impact. That said, I’ve never advocated boycotting the Venetian or any of his other financial holdings based on his political views and ineffectual campaign contributions. My opposition to Mr. Adelson stems directly from his staunch opposition to online poker’s legalization and blatantly false statements which have appeared recently in a variety of media.
Question: Why did you choose July 22-26 as the dates for the boycott?
Answer: I wanted to ensure there was enough time to mobilize the campaign of awareness in favor of the boycott. Important initiatives like this take time and careful planning. I don’t want to rush into things. I thought that an announcement made one month in advance would provide poker players with enough time to hear about the boycott. Furthermore, those who perhaps have plans to come and visit Las Vegas would be able to change their hotel reservations and stay elsewhere during that period. Finally, I did not want the boycott period to be in conflict with any events with which I am connected such as the World Series of Poker, with which I’m affiliated. I want to make it clear there are no conflicts of interest.
Question: Mr. Adelson probably won’t even notice the boycott. Any slight drop in casino revenues won’t matter. So, why do this?
Answer: This battle isn’t about dollars and cents. It’s about standing up for our rights as common citizens and doing what we believe in. It’s about doing something, even if it impacts his bottom line just a little bit. All movements begin with lone voices in the dark. They start small. Then, they grow. I expect this to grow. That said, there’s some indication that poker players’ collective outrage against Mr. Adelson and his continuing opposition to online poker’s legalization, could hurt him financially. Consider the following link to an article where some stock analysts are now calling Las Vegas Sands a “sell” stock. In other words, dump it now (SOURCE HERE).
Question: Won’t the boycott just hurt working people, such as dealers, floor staff, cocktail waitresses, and others?
Answer: Every employee at the Venetian I have talked to likes the boycott idea. They won’t say so publicly, because they can’t — fearing retribution. But they are embarrassed by what Mr. Adelson has said and what he’s doing politically. It’s shameful. I don’t recall a single employee who works inside the Venetian Poker Room who shares Mr. Adelson’s view on this issue and if they do share it, then I’d like to see them step forward and embrace that position. Regarding the financial impacts of the boycott, this is to last for just five days. It’s also taking place during one of the slower periods of the summer. I’m convinced the financial impact of Mr. Adelson’s position is hurting the Venetian already, without the boycott going into effect. Consider some of the dismal numbers over at the Venetian the last month while the WSOP was going on. Poker players are already boycotting. Just read the forums and comments section at any poker website.
Question: Isn’t the Venetian one of the nicer poker rooms in Las Vegas?
Answer: Yes. I have always enjoyed playing inside the Venetian Poker Room. It’s one of the places I like to play the most. The staff is very player-friendly and supportive of poker, demonstrated by their nice reception of the Tournament Directors Association (TDA), which I support. In fact, the Venetian is one of my favorite casinos in Las Vegas.
Question: What do you hope to accomplish?
Answer: We’re accomplishing several things — some of which have already been successful. First, we’re creating much greater awareness within our community that one of the most powerful magnates in the gambling business is trying to deny us our rights to play online poker. Second, we’re determined to make a dent — even if it’s small — in the Venetian’s bottom line for just one week and show that we are a viable market that deserves to be listened to. Third, we need to mobilize as players and activists occasionally to remind ourselves that the world isn’t always about acting in our isolated self-interest. Sometimes, issues are so important that they command unity and cooperation. In fact, nothing succeeds unless we stand united. Finally, I am determined to prove to ourselves that we are a community of millions strong that is capable of taking a position and putting up a fight. Some things — like our basic rights and human freedoms — are worth fighting for, whatever the cost.
Question: Do you really think Mr. Adelson will hear about the boycott and do anything?
Answer: I have no interest whatsoever in what Mr. Adelson thinks or knows regarding how he manages his self-described “casino empire.” I don’t expect him to change his mind. He’s hopeless. A Two Plus Two poster recently summed up Mr. Adelson best, describing him as a “Dinosaur roaring as it sinks in the tar pit.” That’s pretty much my assessment of Mr. Adelson on matters that have to do with the 21st Century.
Question: Is there a way for the boycott to be called off, and if so, what would be required?
Answer: Yes. I will post the conditions to call off the boycott within a few days.
Question: Do you plan future public initiatives and boycotts of this kind?
Answer: Perhaps. We shall re-evaluate the effectiveness of this tactic afterward and then determine our next course of action. This fight is just beginning.