“Who the hell needs the permission, or even the cooperation, of the NBA? No laws that I’m aware of give the professional-sports leagues the power to preclude betting on their games in places where it’s legal.”
—Anthony Curtis, commenting in his Las Vegas Advisor newsletter on the proposal of the National Basketball Association that states legalizing sports betting kick back 1 percent of wagers on NBA games to the league
“The betting public found a new ATM. It’s called the Golden Knights.”
—Westgate Las Vegas sports book oddsmaker John Murray, on the losses bookmakers have absorbed thanks to the home success of the expansion Vegas Golden Knights
“Having three iconic must-see European-themed destination resorts with a broad range of amenities will strengthen our marketing and customer service capabilities and position us to grow faster than the Macau market in every segment on both the top line and the bottom line in the years ahead.”
—Sheldon Adelson on the transformation of his Sands Cotai Central into the Londoner. The third IR will join the Venetian and the Parisian in Macau
“Cops who will insist on gambling inside casinos will be dismissed. Even if you say that you’re rich, that we cannot stop you from gambling and that you’re using legal money. You can do it—as long you leave your post.”
—General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Philippine National Police, who warns of a one-strike policy for police and government workers who are found in casinos
“Those who are found to have engaged in gambling and obstructing the investigation of crimes shall be harshly punished.”
—Huang Ming, China’s deputy minister of public security, promising to crack down on illegal underground banks and online gambling operators in the country
“This unfair practice—also known as the ‘Fat Top, Skinny Bottom’ policy— has made all team members very dissatisfied.”
—Cloee Chao, New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association, who says senior staff at MGM Macau get three times the bonuses awarded to the rank-and-file
“Hung’s boy-band haircut and penchant for fleets of Rolls Royce Phantoms don’t seem half as endearing as before.”
—CalvinAyre.com, on billionaire Stephen Hung, who tried and failed to bring an uber-luxury hotel, the 13, to Macau
“The general feeling is that if suddenly sports betting, which is an enormous illegal industry right now, were to be given a green light that things could happen very rapidly.”
—Senator Eileen Donoghue of Massachusetts on the possibility that the state might get the opportunity to legalize sports betting if the Supreme Court lifts a ban against it
“Adopting a modernized gaming policy that would allow contenders to put their strongest offer on the table for the state to consider, consistent with industry best practices, would bring the best result for its state and its taxpayers.”
—Uri Clinton, spokesman for MGM Resorts International, on why Connecticut should have an open bidding process for a casino in Bridgeport
“If parents realized how predatory these games are then they wouldn’t want them under their Christmas tree, they wouldn’t want them going to their kids.”
—Senator Kevin Ranker of Washington state, urging a law to examine the influence of “loot boxes,” which he considers a form of gambling
