- Joined
- Jan 8, 2008
- Messages
- 67,264
Panelists addressing an Internet gambling conference in Las Vegas on Tuesday said online casinos would enhance business at brick-and-mortar properties instead of cannibalizing them.
The panelists — three of them Las Vegas industry executives — said just as casino expansion in New Jersey, in riverboat markets and on Indian reservations led to established Las Vegas casinos growing their market share, the legalization of Internet gambling would give them the ability to reach out to new customers.
The panelists made their remarks on the first day of the two-day iGaming North America, a conference addressing aspects of Internet gambling, attended by more than 300 people at the Monte Carlo.
Internet gambling is illegal in the United States, but the debate is growing over whether to legalize, regulate and tax it as a new revenue source for governments starving for cash to pay for underfunded programs.
Some industry leaders think online gambling would take customers from traditional casinos, but the panelists, including Jan Jones of Caesars Entertainment, Art Manteris of Station Casinos and Doug Dalton of Bellagio, said they believe Internet gambling would grow the market and present opportunities for land-based casinos.
“The average gaming customer is around 50 years old,” said Jones, senior vice president of communications and government relations for Caesars. “The upcoming generation of gambler — the X and Y generation — makes all of their decisions on the Internet. They meet, they congregate, they make entertainment choices and I believe if we don’t have a significant presence, there is the likelihood that they will make other entertainment choices that are not gambling choices.”
Read entire article here.
The panelists — three of them Las Vegas industry executives — said just as casino expansion in New Jersey, in riverboat markets and on Indian reservations led to established Las Vegas casinos growing their market share, the legalization of Internet gambling would give them the ability to reach out to new customers.
The panelists made their remarks on the first day of the two-day iGaming North America, a conference addressing aspects of Internet gambling, attended by more than 300 people at the Monte Carlo.
Internet gambling is illegal in the United States, but the debate is growing over whether to legalize, regulate and tax it as a new revenue source for governments starving for cash to pay for underfunded programs.
Some industry leaders think online gambling would take customers from traditional casinos, but the panelists, including Jan Jones of Caesars Entertainment, Art Manteris of Station Casinos and Doug Dalton of Bellagio, said they believe Internet gambling would grow the market and present opportunities for land-based casinos.
“The average gaming customer is around 50 years old,” said Jones, senior vice president of communications and government relations for Caesars. “The upcoming generation of gambler — the X and Y generation — makes all of their decisions on the Internet. They meet, they congregate, they make entertainment choices and I believe if we don’t have a significant presence, there is the likelihood that they will make other entertainment choices that are not gambling choices.”
Read entire article here.
Last edited by a moderator: