赌场巨头谢尔登。埃德森在上周公开表示反对网上赌博合法化。他身为拉斯维加斯金沙集团的首席执行官兼董事长，却在“道义上反对”网上赌博，并认为联邦政府不应该规范网上赌博行业，因为他认为这个行业缺乏一个良好的预防未成年人涉足网上赌博的措施。
许多业内人士纷纷批评埃德尔森的这一态度。许多人认为，埃德森不是真正关心未成年人的，他只是担心失去他的网上赌场业务而已。他反对网上赌博合法化完全是出于一种贸易保护主义。
上周日，拉斯维加斯太阳报的主编Greenspun也公开指责埃德森。Greenspun写了一篇社论专栏，他批评埃德森的言论和他所处的位置不一致，并指出埃德森本人缺乏监管保护儿童的想法，他说，扑克行业在互联网的发展如果不接受联邦政府的规范，更加无法保证未成年人网络环境的安全。另外网络扑克行业的合法化还可以为联邦政府带来财政税收。目前美国50个州对网络赌博有50个不同的规定，这给网上赌博行业的监管上造成极大的混乱。
Greenspun还指出，对网上赌博行业实施监管，还可以为内华达州甚至全国各地提供就业岗位。“我希望谢尔顿理解，有数以千计的内华达州居民依靠赌博行业谋生，没有赌博行业支撑，他们将不得不寻找其他的谋生方式。但如果赌博行业没有获得合法化，他们的权益将得不到保障。我还希望谢尔顿明白，如今的互联网技术非常好，我们可以采取积极的措施来防止未成年人参与赌博。尽管它并不是最完美的方法，但至少是一个行之有效的传统的方法。此外，本人的愿望和他的愿望是一致的，我们都希望看见一个健康的内华达州。”
译文：
Las Vegas Sun Editor Criticizes Sheldon Adelson
As we shared with you last week, casino mogul Sheldon Adelson is not a fan of online casinos. The man who is CEO and Chairman of Las Vegas Sands Corporation is “morally opposed” to online gambling and thinks that the federal government shouldn’t regulate it because he doesn’t think the industry does a good enough job of preventing underage gambling.
Many in the industry were quick to call Adelson’s so-called concerns illegitimate. Many believe that Adelson is not concerned about minors; he is only concerned about losing business. His opposition to online gambling is nothing more than protectionism.
On Sunday, Brian Greenspun, the president and editor of the Las Vegas Sun, took Adelson to task. Greenspun wrote an editorial column where he criticized Adelson’s position. Poking holes in Adelson’s idea that lack of regulation protects children, he says that “the Internet poker industry is here to stay so either the federal government figures out how to regulate and tax it or the 50 state governments will do it for them.” He says that with 50 different states offering 50 different regulations, there is greater chance that some jurisdiction will get it wrong.
Greenspun also pointed out the online gambling regulation would create jobs in Nevada and across the country. “I wish Sheldon could understand that there are hundreds of thousands of Nevadans who make their livings in this state, who don’t have Asia to promise them vast riches and who must find the ways and means to thrive right here at home,” he said, taking a shot at Adelson’s casinos in Asia. “And I wish he understood that the technology available on the Internet is very good and uses active measures to prevent underage gambling. Although it’s not perfect, neither are the methods used by brick-and-mortar businesses. I know if he understood all of that, his wish or a healthy Nevada would be the same as mine.”