Poll results: Federal bill dominates G2E discussions
Predictions borne out by panels at Las Vegas conference, with topic addressed by leading executives.
The predictions of eGaming Review readers in this week’s poll came true as the progress, or lack thereof, a federal egaming bill was among the hot topics at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.
The majority of readers (38%) predicted it to be the most discussed topic as tensions rise between Senate majority leader Harry Reid (pictured) and Dean Heller, and indeed it was addressed by the likes of AGA president and CEO Frank Fahrenkopf and former Nevada Gaming Control Board chairman Mark Lipparelli when they spoke at the conference in Las Vegas earlier this week.
Close behind was the subject of the lack of deals between land-based and online partners, which received 31% of the vote.
One of the more significant proposed deals of this nature, between Sportingbet and Foxwoods, had been scheduled to be announced during G2E but the announcement was postponed in the light of a joint bid for the operator from William Hill and GVC “ a bid rejected on Monday “ and it may be that more movement on this front might have increased the discussions around match-ups between those from the online and land-based realms.
Just 3% believed that the bulk of the discourse would surround attempts from Native American tribes to maintain sovereignty ahead of potential regulation, although this was a subject addressed on occasion during the event.
The remaining 28% “ perhaps overcome with national or continental pride “ believed Europe’s Ryder Cup victory on Sunday would be the hot topic. The subject was strangely absent, however from the American-led panels with one sole European voice subtly banging the drum for his continent during the panel on online gambling regulation.