US laws hit gambling billionaires
With the US government having significantly clamped down on online gaming over the past twelve months, several of the industry’s biggest names have failed to make this year’s Forbes billionaire list.
While the founder of the online gaming site and media group Bodog, Calvin Eyre, graced the cover of Forbes just one year previously, the recent introduction of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act means that he joins his rivals, Ruth Parasol and Russell DeLeon, in losing in his place amongst the nation’s wealthiest few.
In comparison, the success of the more traditional land-based gambling tycoons continued, according to the Forbes list.
Sheldon Anderson, whose gaming empire includes the Venetian casino in Las Vegas was the top-ranked gambling tycoon, with the 75 year-old estimated to be worth about $26.5 billion.
In addition, following his expansion into the Asian market, Steve Wynn was ranked 264th on the list, with his empire estimated to be worth £4 billion, while William Boyd’s $4 billion worth of assets gained him a ranking of 664.