Sheldon Adelson commissioned a study on online gambling and poker in the United States which is generating much controversy amongst players in both sides of the gambling industry, bot online and land-based. Adelson, who is the CEO to one of the world’s most powerful casino corporations, commissioned the study from the Terrance Group which polled over 2000 residents of California, Virginia, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
Participants were asked a series of questions including their opinion on live gaming, new casino start-ups in their states as well as introduction of online gambling and poker in their jurisdiction.
According to a memorandum from the Terrance Group, “These key findings are based on telephone interviews with a total of N=2,216 ‘likely’ registered voters throughout these four state. Responses to this survey were gathered during the period between June-October, 2013. The margin of error associated with the sample for each of these studies is + 4.3% in 95 out of 100 cases.”
In regards to online gambling, the study revealed that over 60% of all the people polled were against the concept of online gambling. 72% of people polled in Virginia were clearly against internet wagering compared to only 61% of those in California. The Terrance Group spokesman, Dave Sackett, noted that the study “shows a universal opposition to any proposal that would legalize Internet gambling or internet poker.”