Adelson, Blue Men Enter Gaming Hall of Fame

Some big names were inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame at a gala ceremony in Las Vegas this week. The four, Sheldon Adelson, Charlie Palmer, Dr. William Eadington, and the Blue Man Group, were recognized for their contributions to the gaming industry.

Well-earned inductions

Sheldon G. Adelson, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., was acknowledged for his contribution to helping Las Vegas transform from a desert gaming oasis into the world's premier gambling destination. He later laid the groundwork for Macau and Singapore to rival Vegas as casino hubs, the audience at the event heard.

Charlie Palmer is perhaps less known to actual gamers, although most would have tasted his food. The master chef has opened 13 restaurants in the US, five of them associated with Nevada gaming properties.

Dr. William Eadington is a professor of economics and the director of the University of Nevada, Reno's Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming. He is internationally recognized on issues of commercial gaming legalization and regulation. According to the American Gaming Association, much of the credit for our current understanding of economic impacts of gaming goes to Eadington.

Finally, the Blue Man Group has been a leading Las Vegas entertainer for more than a decade, appearing at many all of the major casinos there.

A great honor

Induction into the Gaming Hall of Fame is considered the highest honor one can receive in the gaming industry. This is the 23rd year the AGA-sponsored event has been run, and around 350 of the big names in the gambling industry attended the black-tie event this year.

Proceeds from the event go toward the National Center for Responsible Gaming, the only national American organization that is devoted purely to educating and funding peer-reviewed research on gambling problems.