If you don’t know Rep. Charlie Dent (R), you will soon. Sheldon Adelson has the Pennsylvania congressman by the short and curlies, holding expansion at Sands Bethlehem hostage to passage of Restore 
America’s Wire Act, his pet cause. Consequently, Dent is trying to infiltrate an unrelated appropriations bill with RAWA language. Although Adelson errand boy Jason Chaffetz has fallen by the wayside, there are plenty of others ready and willing to do the mogul’s bidding. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D), Mark Warner (D) and Lindsey Graham (R) are putting pressure directly on Attorney General , with the latter writing to Sessions that the “potentially predatory nature of online gambling represents a heightened threat to economically vulnerable populations.” We can probably expect a lot more such language as this skirmish continues to be fought during the present Congress. Let’s hope pro-Tenth Amendment congressman are wise to Dent’s tricks and winnow his RAWA parasite from the spending bill in question.
* “We believe it is in the best interests of our customers, employees, and investors to terminate our agreement to merge with FanDuel and move forward as a separate company.” With those words, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins wrote finis to his company’s planned merger with FanDuel, a move that would have smothered the DFS market, giving the mega-company a 90%-plus market share. That was just too much for the Federal Trade Commission, which moved to block the deal. While DraftKings and FanDuel contended that the combination would create a more efficient industry, the FTC wasn’t buying it, saying the two companies were each other’s only real competitors. Or, as Bureau of Competition Acting Director Tad Lipsky said, “This merger would deprive customers of the substantial benefits of direct competition between DraftKings and FanDuel.” The attorneys general of California and the District of Columbia shared his sentiments.
Despite the happy talk emanating from Robins and Nigel Eccles, even in the face of this latest setback, neither company has yet to show a profit. “Perhaps these companies were worried about the information that would be revealed at the preliminary injunction hearing and how that would tarnish their brands,” speculated attorney Rachel Hirsch. One thing’s for certain, given the abrupt volte-face, faced with adversity Eccles and Robins decided they would rather switch than fight.
* Penn National Gaming‘s Plainridge Park seems to be past its growing pains (at least until football season resumes). Revenue for June was up a heartening 13%, with win/slot/day of $371. Penn Massachusetts‘ racino didn’t get off to the firmest of starts but it has turned into a star performer for the company.
* According to Asia Gaming Brief, there’s talk of a seventh casino license in Macao. If true (and if it comes with a sub concession), the attendant excitement could push the current hubbub over Japan into the background. Of somewhat more present concern, the Macao Legislative Assembly has voted for a total smoking ban, effective Jan. 1, 2019. This will give casinos plenty of time to adjust and it isn’t as bad as it sounds, as smoking lounges will be available to VIP and mass-market players. They’ll still have to step away from the tables, which will pain them greatly, especially the VIP players, whose private rooms had been exempted from the current smoking ban on casino floors.
