I mean the world market.
If they (the big vegas companies as a whole) let things go as they are, they will be in less of a position to take over the world market because other entities will become entrenched in various countries. Those same entities are now also building their empires with US gamblers.
If US companies want the US market and beyond, they’d like to be the ones using the US gambling market. They can even look out for 3-5 years… they don’t want the competition using all of that income while they are unable to use it.
Do I think laws will be effective toward that end? Not really. Do I think that’s what happened? Not really. Do I think it could make sense as a long term business strategy? Sure. I just don’t think they are capable of making it happen like that. If they could do it like that, then they would have just put themselves in the game. Like you are saying, that’s all it would take.
I could leave a little room open for them to feel like “If we can’t have that market, then we’d like to shut that market down until we can have that market in a few years.” If that were the best they could do right now, I bet they’d do it.
I still don’t have any reason to believe that’s what happened.
casinos buying out land based casinos (only possible if
they treat their affiliates well) is a strong enough motive ?
Sure. I don’t think I addressed that at all.