Expect a firestorm of controversy to break wide open Wednesday morning when news of Celine Dion's husband's $1 million a week gambling habit comes to light in Norm Clarke's Review-Journal gossip column, Vegas Confidential.
Rene Angelil, who is also Celine's manager, was used by Jan Jones, former Vegas Mayor and current Harrah's Communications VP, as an example of a "gambler without a gambling problem" in an interview this week with the prestigious British newspaper, The Observer.
Responsible for Vegas' family-friendly makeover in the '90s, Jan had been asked by a Fleet Street reporter about addicted gamblers with gaming problems. They asked her if gaming, particularly on slot machines, was as addictive as crack and cocaine. In a long-winded answer, she called Rene a "big gambler" and defended people with large incomes as not having a gambling problem if they could afford to play at that high limit and then surprisingly revealed Celine's husband's astronomical weekly play figure.
If in fact the $1 million a week figure is correct -- and one must assume it is coming from a top Harrah's executive – the world will be abuzz at his potential $50 million annual game-play!
The juicy item was buried in the interview about American-style gaming being imported into Britain, but my pal LA Times blogger Richard Abowitz, first teased it earlier this morning. Norm has now picked up on it and has discovered from competitive casinos that a cardinal Vegas rule of never disclosing high-roller identities and their wagers has been violated. It is a long held belief that casinos are supposed to keep that information confidential.
When Norm's Review-Journal gossip column breaks tomorrow morning, it will further ignite the controversy – and headlines of Rene's sky-high betting will reverberate around the world.
Luxe Life will monitor the situation as it develops further because we've been told, "This revelation is only the tip of the iceberg with this story. It's long been rumored that his gaming wins and losses have been linked to her long four-year-contract at Caesars Palace. Celine has even commented about his passion for gambling but nobody believes she has any idea of these staggering amounts."
Follow the Story:
- LA Times: Movable Buffet
- Review-Journal: Norm! Vegas Confidential
- The Observer: Jan Jones Interview
- 'Brand New Day': See Celine in Vegas
1. I'm sure Celine knows about it and doesn't care one bit. You forget these 2 people know each other inside out, they're been together since 1988... And she spends similar ammounts on clothes and shoes and stuff :))
Teodora at 5:16AM on Jan 31st 2007