Liberation Day? Take back Panama Day?
And Do we all now live in the Casino Economy?
The spectacle of today’s 2nd Inauguration of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States seems best summed up by Karl Marx’s most famous quote from the The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte:
Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.
And if you watched all the bizarre pomp and solemnity and all those smirks and wry expressions, it did come across as farce… To see all the living ex-Presidents and Vice Presidents and their spouses and most of America’s richest oligarchs all gathered to commemorate and sanctify the 2nd Inauguration of a convicted Felon in orange face paint, who spoke about his great faith in God despite having stiffed many contractors, cheated on all his wives, raped many women, stolen from his creditors and gone bankrupt to avoid paying his bills.
One wonders if despite his frequently dour expression many of his locutions are meant to be humorous…
I was saved by God to make America great again,” Trump said, adding that he wants to be a “peacemaker and unifier.”
"We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars by launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars," Trump said. Beaming and holding up two thumbs, Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, shouted, "Yeah!"
I think the key thing to unpack it all is the burn it all down vibe in America at this moment:
There were some nods at bipartisanship but there was a doubling down on various conspiracy theories and the reflexive need to ‘own the Libs’ and punish brutally dissenters on his side of the isle:
"For many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens, while the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair."
"I know a lot of nice guys in Congress, and they have 35 people that hate them. So if you have 35 people that hate you, and you only have one or two or three votes — you’ll have five, I think," he said. "You could be really nasty to a couple of them, at least."
As the Washington Post wrote:
In short, our institutions are under threat; our norms have collapsed; and those who previously denounced Trump—from Mark Zuckerberg to the Village People—are now hoping to cash in on his return.
As for my personal views and emotions pls allow me to share a short video message to all my Mega Orders out there:
Now to the Casino economy. I contend that the rise of American online gambling and the new state of our Trumpian/Tech-bro casino economy are quite linked…
Consider this headline from Sigma today:
New Jersey’s gambling revenue reaches a record $6.3 billion in 2024
The biggest boost came from slot and table games, which saw revenue increase by 24 percent to $2.39 billion. Jane Smith, an analyst at Gaming Insights, noted, “The ease and accessibility of online gambling have made it a preferred choice for many New Jersey residents. Being able to gamble from home has transformed the industry.”
To delve deeper into issues of e-gaming, online gambling and regulations I was interviewed by Sigma one of the leading Magazines in the e-gaming space, Sigma:
You may read the full interview here.
Below are some teasers:
In life, every move has meaning. This is the same in backgammon. One dice roll can flip fortunes in an instant, while the impacts of seemingly small decisions ripple over time, fundamentally changing the trajectory of the game. For Jason Pack, champion backgammon player, commercial podcast host, and global thinker, this age-old game offers a masterclass in risk, resilience and strategy.
In backgammon, as in life, logic must be married with intuition. The ability to be brave and take calculated risks is essential for success. In an exclusive interview with SiGMA News, Jason talks about how the principles of backgammon can apply to the world of iGaming. He explores how these strategies can improve players’ enjoyment and results, and additionally shape the iGaming industry’s approach to player engagement, market trends, and technological innovation. The lessons learned on the board resonate far beyond the game.
At the recent Malta Open Backgammon Tournament, Pack spoke about his game, mirroring the lessons he champions in life and business. “You don’t always have to be the best,” he shared, reflecting on his winning the Malta Backgammon 2024 Highroller Award. “Sometimes, you just need to calculate that it is worthwhile to take the biggest risks.” In a conversation with SiGMA News, the topics ranged from backgammon to high-stakes betting and iGaming. His Disorder podcast and popular writing about the disordered nature of today’s geopolitics provide a fresh look at handling uncertainty, being flexible, and mastering the appropriate blend of risk and strategy. As the iGaming industry evolves, Jason’s experiences resonate far beyond the game, shaping how players, businesses, and even global markets approach the art of winning….
Analogies to Global Disorder and regulation
Jason Pack’s concept of ‘the Global Enduring Disorder,’ finds a striking parallel in the iGaming world. “There’s a lot of regulatory discrepancy in iGaming,” Pack remarked. “It’s a fragmented system, frequently with each jurisdiction operating on its own terms. This mirrors our current geopolitical landscape, where nations struggle to align their policies or regulatory environments even on critical issues that they agree on.”
Drawing on the research underpinning his Disorder Podcast, Pack explained how this lack of cohesion undermines efficiency. “During the Cold War, we had American hegemony and alliances like NATO that facilitated coordination among nations. Now, whether it’s climate policy or iGaming regulation, there’s no unified framework. It’s a patchwork of conflicting rules that creates chaos.” In the iGaming industry, this regulatory fragmentation hinders growth and innovation. “It’s absurd that the laws governing a global, digital industry differ so dramatically from one country to another,” he said. “The ideal would be a single, unified framework, but achieving that requires a level of trust and coordination that simply doesn’t exist in today’s world. That is the essence of the Global Enduring Disorder.”
Pack’s insights highlight a pressing challenge for operators: navigating this regulatory maze while advocating for greater alignment. In a world defined by disorder, those who adapt and innovate will find opportunities where others see obstacles.
A younger Vladimir Putin attempts to show off his strategic skills by playing a Russian form of backgammon – called Long Nardi — with Russian Naval officers. Source: Jason Pack
Strategic moves in backgammon and beyond
For Jason Pack, understanding human behaviour is at the core of backgammon strategy. “One joy of the game is predicting your opponent’s moves,” he said. “If someone is rattled from a previous loss, they might overreach or take unnecessary risks. That’s when you can double late and still get a take or make an unexpected play to throw them off.”
Pack believes these skills are just as applicable in iGaming and life. “It’s about reading the room. Whether that’s an opponent at the backgammon board or a market trend in the iGaming industry, success comes from anticipating moves, adapting your strategy, and seizing opportunities when they arise.”
Read the whole interview here: https://sigma.world/news/the-art-of-risk/