Sheldon Adelson: Maybe I flunked diplomacy 101; Chinese Gov’t Doesn’t Care About Me

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Sheldon Adelson, chairman and majority shareholder of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS), sat down with Bloomberg Television’s Betty Liu to discuss his wealth and the gambling market in Asia.

On his legacy, Adelson said: “I don’t necessarily wanna build a dynasty. Because a friend of mine says that he only cares about the faces he can see.  So, when you think ahead…in three generations from now, my children’s children– children, do I really care about them?  I don’t even know who they are. They don’t exist.”

What My Life Is Like With $38 Billion:

No Reason Exists for Online Gambling:

I’m Not Riding the Vegas Ferris Wheel:

Chinese Gov’t Doesn’t Care About Me:

Adelson on online gambling:

“I’m saying, coming from the business, I want to make money from those who can afford it.  I can’t tell over the internet who is underage.  I can’t tell who’s got financial difficulties.  I can’t tell who is not gaming responsibly. I can’t tell if money is being laundering. I can in the casino.”

“Why don’t we legalize prostitution?  It’s happening all over the place anyway.  Why don’t we legalize drug addiction?  It’s happening all over the place anyway.  Wherever we can control it, we should control it.  Those kinds of things, sins, the sin activity should be controlled.”

“I’m in the business.  I’m the largest company.  I’m larger than all the other gaming companies combined in the United States.  I have authority in the bona fides to recommended to the government that this is not the right way for– to encourage people to gamble.”

“For instance, here in the land-based casinos, we’re required to have the dealers shuffle the cards a certain way.  How do you do that in– on the internet?  On– here, we’re not supposed to allow underage people to gamble.  How do you do that on the internet?  There’s no technology that– that a kid can’t get around.”

“There’s nothing to regulate.  I’m regulated in four different jurisdictions.  I don’t know of one regulation that would apply to internet gaming.”

Adelson on how much he is willing to spend to stop online gambling:

“Whatever it takes.”

Adelson on not building a dynasty:

“I don’t necessarily wanna build a dynasty. Because a friend of mine says that he only cares about the faces he can see.  So, when you think ahead…in three generations from now, my children’s children– children, do I really care about them?  I don’t even know who they are. They don’t exist.”

On being outspoken as a CEO:

“When you ask me a question, I try to be honest. How– how am I able to be– I don’t know.  Maybe– I flunked diplomacy 101. (LAUGH) I don’t know.  I’m outspoken because I– I’m– I– I could never make a l– a couldn’t be a lawyer. I can only tell the truth. I would be a very bad lawyer.”

On whether he worries about having so much of his investment and wealth in Asia:

“No….Well, it certainly– you know, people bring it up.  They say, ‘Do you think the Chinese government is gonna–‘ they don’t care about Sheldon Adelson.”

Adelson on Steve Wynn, Caesar’s, MGM and Boyd:

“Everybody’s following me. Steve Wynn is more of an entrepreneur than the other guys —  Caesars Entertainment Corp (NASDAQ:CZR) and MGM Resorts International (NYSE:MGM) and Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD).  They’re not entrepreneurial.”

On whether he has been on or plans to ride the Vegas Ferris Wheel:

“Nope.  Well, we have a big Ferris wheel, the Singapore Flyer, right next to our property in Singapore.  I mean, it’s for kids.  (LAUGH) The kids like to go– like to go around the fer– when I was a kid, I loved to go on a Ferris wheel. I’m still a kid, but I’m a little bit older.”

 

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