Conspiracy Theory

[shinychicken 0]

Just my thoughts on the events in the past week...1. Sen. Bill Frist gets a gambling banking add on to the defense bill on Friday. Text link to bill2. In response, several sites begin exclusion plans for US customers. When the stock markets open on Monday, the entire online section takes a huge hit. 888.com (pacific poker and 888 casino) and Partygaming (we know this one) have drops of 60%. Link to article on the stock situation3. On Monday, a private group makes an offer to buy Harrah's Casino Group. This private group is composed of Texas Pacific and Apollo Management Group, two large equity companies. Harrah's owns 47% of the Las Vegas Strip (Harrah's, Ceaser's, Flamingo, Paris, Bally's and most importanty to us, the Rio ) as well as many casinos around the US. This would be the largest gaming acquisition on the history of the sector. How conveinent is it that this buyout comes as stocks fall and the entire online gambling sector begins to crack. Link to Harrah's Article4. With stock prices falling and the gaming industry going in disarray over the immiment problems with US customers, the sector is prime pickings for mergers and takeovers as owners want to get the bang for their buck. Who better to make some good acquistions to bolster their companies than our own US casino companies like Harrah's for example.... Link to state of the market5. Now with the the buy out on the table of Harrah's, here is the kicker. Sen. Bill Frist is linked to both Texas Pacific and Apollo Management. Frist's family is in the process of selling their company (HCA, a hospital company based in Tennessee {where Frist is a senator} and Texas Pacific was one of the companies thought to be in on the bidding for the buy out (Link.) as well as Apollo (Link). 6. Harrah's was one of the US gaming companies that was pushing for the ban and isn't it convenient that Harrah's was also one of Sen. Frist's major contributors to his campaign (link)Now with all that being said, the scare of eleminating US customers has/will create pandemonium on the market to allow such takeovers/mergers to occur. It is said that the govenment would have a hard time enforcing the law, but the damage is already starting to take place. Could this just be a ploy to allow a US company to step in and buy up a large portion of the sector and then they would have leverage to get legislation in their favor? Or was this just another pocket stuffing scheme by a douchebag? Frist has been in trouble before and it wouldn't surprise me to see it again. (Wikipedia Link on Frist)

[Highlow16 0]

interesting. You put alot of thought into the post..I just read that Frist is already under investigation for insider trading, it wouldnt surprise me in the least if this turned out to be the case.

[mosley 0]

i'm one to always consider a good conspiracy theory, and you did a good job of assembling the information. it seems that Frist has very few reservations about crossing ethical and moral boundaries and i wouldn't put this past him.i thought Bush was bad for America but if this guy makes it into the oval office, we're going to see some major league shenanigans. i guess time will tell.

[o2befubar 0]

Thank you for the time invested in the post. I'm on your bandwagon. Somethings just not right there... I e-mailed him yesterday and told him my disgust for him..

[Highlow16 0]

is there anything we can do to stop this? Can we take this to court?

[FourFlusher 0]

Good work.

[djdunleavy 0]

its not a conspiracy...its called politics. You didn't think the brick and mortor companies wanted the internet companies shut down? Do you think politicians really care if people are gambling on the internet?This is the gravy train. This is what politicians live for. They can get paid off and make decisions on things that don't really matter, and avoid all the real tough decisions.Its situation normal in washington.

[cu in 4years Dan 1]

its not a conspiracy...its called politics. You didn't think the brick and mortor companies wanted the internet companies shut down? Do you think politicians really care if people are gambling on the internet?This is the gravy train. This is what politicians live for. They can get paid off and make decisions on things that don't really matter, and avoid all the real tough decisions.Its situation normal in washington.

exactly

[mosley 0]

its not a conspiracy...its called politics. You didn't think the brick and mortor companies wanted the internet companies shut down? Do you think politicians really care if people are gambling on the internet?This is the gravy train. This is what politicians live for. They can get paid off and make decisions on things that don't really matter, and avoid all the real tough decisions.Its situation normal in washington.

i don't think anyone here thinks this twisted f*ck actually gives a crap about online gambling but it will be interesting to see whether his motivation was not-only self-serving but also illegal. he may end up in jail.

[bossyrossy 0]

Sounds like the twat should have stuck to Medicine!!. (Wikipedia Link on Frist)

[stevel999 0]

One of the most interesting posts I have read in a while. Well researched and thought out....it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[choic 0]

One of the most interesting posts I have read in a while. Well researched and thought out....it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Nice to see good posts at FCP. Sometimes I can't be bothered even posting cause everyone loves to flame and the content is juvenile.Well thought out post. TY

[davezz5 0]

This is a very good post. Maybe you could position this with the media somehow? Maybe it could pick up some momentum, and lead to further questions being asked.

[Mercury69 3]

Nice job, ShinyChicken. I agree with the assessment that this is "politics", but I swear to God, you Americans, you really need to help yourselves in this matter. The rich get richer, the poor get the picture and most of you will find yourselves living as fringe elements, ultimately dependant on the handouts of those who have gathered the power and money. Not that things are that much different in Canada, it simply happens on a much smaller scale. And how is this any different, superficially speaking, from the Iraq situation with regard to the patriotic contract handouts to Halliburton, etc? You guys think you have it all, but the greedheads at the top won't be satisfied until they take it all, not only from those outside of your country, but inside it's borders also. Transaprency in your political system is a necessity, but it'll never happen. Why? Because "things just don't get done" that way. Your politicians patronize and placate you with gooey little placebos like a supposedly stable economy and the illusion of freedom. It's all of their own design and sometime soon, you'll all be living under martial law while some ******* like Bush retains his office due to "emergency procedures" and new reforms designed to "protect our nation and our freedom".Yeah, I'm blowing smoke and I have no substantiation, but it doesn't take a genius to make negative extrapolations from this online gaming powerplay you're being shafted with.Wake up before it's too late.

[mrdannyg 274]

Just my thoughts on the events in the past week...5. Now with the the buy out on the table of Harrah's, here is the kicker. Sen. Bill Frist is linked to both Texas Pacific and Apollo Management. Frist's family is in the process of selling their company (HCA, a hospital company based in Tennessee {where Frist is a senator} and Texas Pacific was one of the companies thought to be in on the bidding for the buy out (Link.) as well as Apollo (Link).

that's pretty freaky. hard to figure its a coincidence

its not a conspiracy...its called politics. You didn't think the brick and mortor companies wanted the internet companies shut down? Do you think politicians really care if people are gambling on the internet?This is the gravy train. This is what politicians live for. They can get paid off and make decisions on things that don't really matter, and avoid all the real tough decisions.Its situation normal in washington.

this is not politics. politics would be some B&M company giving money to support legislation that would eliminate online gambling, since it'd be in their interest.this (allegedly) is a senator being bribed to do something not in the interest of his constituents, but for his own personal interest, and the interest of those that bribed him.

[jimmythang68 0]

this is not politics. this (allegedly) is a senator being bribed to do something not in the interest of his constituents, but for his own personal interest, and the interest of those that bribed him.

Unfortunatly these days, I am pretty sure that ^ is politics...

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Why is it that Conspiracy Theorists always give the conspirators credit for being able to flawlessly execute their "conspiracy" with 100% foresight - and then alternatively refer to said conspirator in the most derogatory terms such as “idiot”. How could the same conspirator be an "idiot" and also be able to orchestrate said conspiracy?Gimme a freaking break - the most simple explaination is generally the most likely - in this case that Frist has a hard-on to control on-line gaming.

[hblask 1]

I usually hand out the tinfoil hats at conspiracy theories like this, but I think you hit the nail on the head on this one. To the person who doubted that a senator could pull off this plan, how hard was it? They attached a bill in the night that they knew nobody would read and couldn't vote against.Anyone NOT voting libertarian yet?

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Yeah, I'm blowing smoke and I have no substantiation

FYP - Enough said.

This is a very good post. Maybe you could position this with the media somehow? Maybe it could pick up some momentum, and lead to further questions being asked.

I am sorry, but it takes more than an accusatory factless post from a poker forum to start a scandal. Even in American Drive-by Media.There are plenty of pretty basic reasons why the Conspiracy premise is pretty baseless.One example: Does anyone remember WHY these are foreign companies dominating on-line gaming in the first place? Harras CANNOT own/operate an on-line gaming corporation and would not jeapordize their multi-billion "on shore" businessSecond Example: This was not a "last minute addition" as everyone seems to want to characterize it. It has been talked about and anticipated for weeks if not months.

[djdunleavy 0]

that's pretty freaky. hard to figure its a coincidencethis is not politics. politics would be some B&M company giving money to support legislation that would eliminate online gambling, since it'd be in their interest.this (allegedly) is a senator being bribed to do something not in the interest of his constituents, but for his own personal interest, and the interest of those that bribed him.

Its politics as long as only everyone in washington knows about it. If John Doe finds out...then its illegal. ie Enron

[DUSTINFLYZ172 0]

Frist for President in 2008.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Just some of my thoughts regarding your thoughts.

1. Sen. Bill Frist gets a gambling banking add on to the defense bill on Friday. Text link to bill

This was neither unexpected nor "last minute". This has been talked about and anticipated for many weeks.

2. In response, several sites begin exclusion plans for US customers. When the stock markets open on Monday, the entire online section takes a huge hit. 888.com (pacific poker and 888 casino) and Partygaming (we know this one) have drops of 60%. Link to article on the stock situation

Again, not unanticipated. I am certain that the off-shore responses were written in advance.

3. On Monday, a private group makes an offer to buy Harrah's Casino Group. This private group is composed of Texas Pacific and Apollo Management Group, two large equity companies. Harrah's owns 47% of the Las Vegas Strip (Harrah's, Ceaser's, Flamingo, Paris, Bally's and most importanty to us, the Rio ) as well as many casinos around the US. This would be the largest gaming acquisition on the history of the sector. How conveinent is it that this buyout comes as stocks fall and the entire online gambling sector begins to crack. Link to Harrah's Article

Got any idea how much due diligence goes into a $15 BILLION offer like this? Also, brick & Mortar stock prices were largely unaffected by the "ban".

4. With stock prices falling and the gaming industry going in disarray over the immiment problems with US customers, the sector is prime pickings for mergers and takeovers as owners want to get the bang for their buck. Who better to make some good acquistions to bolster their companies than our own US casino companies like Harrah's for example.... Link to state of the market

Again Harrahs' stock price was largely unaffected by the "news". Furthermore US companies cannot operate on-line gaming.

5. Now with the the buy out on the table of Harrah's, here is the kicker. Sen. Bill Frist is linked to both Texas Pacific and Apollo Management. Frist's family is in the process of selling their company (HCA, a hospital company based in Tennessee {where Frist is a senator} and Texas Pacific was one of the companies thought to be in on the bidding for the buy out (Link.) as well as Apollo (Link).

Your kicker is too small here, you should have folded PF. No facts. No smoking gun link. If their family is selling a company, they wouldn't want them involved in a multi billion dollar cash transaction. The acquiring company in a buy-out generall LOSES short term value. Not a situation you want as you divest from a company!

6. Harrah's was one of the US gaming companies that was pushing for the ban and isn't it convenient that Harrah's was also one of Sen. Frist's major contributors to his campaign (link)Could this just be a ploy to allow a US company to step in and buy up a large portion of the sector and then they would have leverage to get legislation in their favor?

The reason Harrahs was pushing for a ban is to eliminate competiton for their Brick & Mortar operations. What Harrahs REALLY wants is to be able to launch their own on-line gaming business. If you don't think they already have sites designed, shrink wrapped and ready to go, you haven't been paying attention

[Jeepster80125 0]

that's pretty freaky. hard to figure its a coincidencethis is not politics. politics would be some B&M company giving money to support legislation that would eliminate online gambling, since it'd be in their interest.this (allegedly) is a senator being bribed to do something not in the interest of his constituents, but for his own personal interest, and the interest of those that bribed him.

I've not done enough research to opine on the entire OPs post, but being in the healthcare industry, I can assure everyone that no one is going to trump the privatization of HCA. No one, anytime. A bit of a stretch, but a much better argument than the other conspiracy nutjobs around here could ever muster.Nice post.

[Royal_Tour 0]

Just some of my thoughts regarding your thoughts.This was neither unexpected nor "last minute". This has been talked about and anticipated for many weeks.Again, not unanticipated. I am certain that the off-shore responses were written in advance.Got any idea how much due diligence goes into a $15 BILLION offer like this? Also, brick & Mortar stock prices were largely unaffected by the "ban". Again Harrahs' stock price was largely unaffected by the "news". Furthermore US companies cannot operate on-line gaming.Your kicker is too small here, you should have folded PF. No facts. No smoking gun link. If their family is selling a company, they wouldn't want them involved in a multi billion dollar cash transaction. The acquiring company in a buy-out generall LOSES short term value. Not a situation you want as you divest from a company!The reason Harrahs was pushing for a ban is to eliminate competiton for their Brick & Mortar operations. What Harrahs REALLY wants is to be able to launch their own on-line gaming business. If you don't think they already have sites designed, shrink wrapped and ready to go, you haven't been paying attention

-Yes, unexpected in a sense-buy low- company grows, stock grows- insider info, means insider deals

[navybuttons 15]

What if Texas Pacific offered HCA a premium on their shares (and took on all the debt) as long as the anti-internet gambling legistlation was passed in order that they could takeover Harrah's?this seems like it would be a really simple plan to enact.Great Post.