When each country’s gold medal count is announced at the 2008 Summer Olympics, there will be no drum roll in Vegas.
"The Olympics is a watching sport, not a betting one," John Avello, director of race and sports operations at Wynn Las Vegas, told Gaming Today. "We have had betting on the Olympics in the past and it was far more work for us than was worth it. It just didn’t make much money for us."
As the games kick off in Beijing on Aug. 8, all betting will have to take place somewhere outside of Nevada -- more than likely offshore. According to Gaming Today, disallowing betting gives the state access to other wagering activities, such as college football and basketball wagering.
"It was in the late 1990s that we came to an agreement with State Attorney Gen. (Brian) Sandoval not to do the Olympics or amateur events such as the Little League World Series," Mr. Avello said. "The UNLV and Nevada college games were something we wanted to book and it got approved."