Chapter 370: Chapter 370 A Blatant Monopoly Protection
When Dewey learned about the documentary Hardy had produced, he smashed everything in his room in a fit of rage.
He knew this was Hardy's revenge for Dewey's lawsuit against his casino.
But now, he was powerless against Hardy.
"If I still manage to become president, I'll make sure you know the consequences of crossing me. Hardy, just you wait!" Dewey roared in his wrecked room.
With the newspapers stoking the flames, even more people flocked to theaters to watch the documentary. Eventually, Mayer was amazed to tell Hardy that the box office revenue for the week had surpassed that of a typical film.
While it might not surpass "Once a Thief," it certainly had the potential to become the second highest grossing film of the year.
Hardy had created a profitable film with minimal expenditure, achieving both fame and fortune.
Hardy thought to himself, That's exactly what I intended. The topic is so hot that no promotion is needed to draw countless people to the theaters. Why not make some money while bringing down Dewey?
This is also why he didn't just hand the documentary over to ABC Television.
He estimated, this documentary could net him about $5 million.
Five million dollars.
In this era, that amount could be used to invest in dozens of companies. If even a few of these companies succeeded, they could generate tens, hundreds, or even billions of dollars in revenue.
Such a good opportunity calls for a celebration.
He slipped off his robe, walked barefoot into the bathroom where Irina was showering. Water from the shower head sprayed onto her smooth, delicate skin, cascading down her well proportioned body.
At that moment, she was rinsing her hair with her eyes closed when she suddenly felt a large hand press against her back, pushing her against the wall.
She turned to look at him.
"Hardy~"
"Don't speak. Just moan."
...
The Federal Supreme Court convened once again to hear the case brought by the New York Prosecutor's Office against the "Hardy Grand Hotel" for allegedly running a lottery.
In the courtroom, both sides presented their arguments and statements once more.
It became clear that the New York State Prosecutor's Office had failed to provide any compelling evidence, and their arguments lacked strength and persuasiveness.
In contrast, the Hardy Group's legal team was formidable, featuring prominent attorneys who eloquently cited numerous legal provisions and evidence to demonstrate that the drawing event was not a lottery but a legitimate gambling activity in a casino.
After a day of hearings, the Chief Justice finally ruled that the "drawing activity" at the Hardy Casino was not classified as a lottery.
However, the Chief Justice also noted, "If the television industry continues to develop and similar drawing activities become more prevalent, it will inevitably impact the country. The Federal Court will recommend that the government enact relevant policies to regulate 'television drawing' activities."
The New York State Prosecutor's Office chose not to appeal.
This outcome was the result of extensive maneuvering: the old godfather pulled some strings, President Johnson applied pressure, and the financial backers supporting Dewey leveraged their connections to achieve such a swift resolution.
From this point forward, the "drawing activity" at the Hardy Casino would no longer occupy a legal gray area but would be a legitimate business venture, marking yet another victory for Hardy.
The Federal Court kept its word and suggested to the government to draft regulations for 'television drawing' activities.
After reviewing the recommendation, President Johnson immediately issued instructions, and within a few days, the government established relevant regulations.
Moving forward, any entity wishing to engage in 'television drawing' activities must obtain government approval, with the government issuing access permits as needed. Additionally, the government would have the authority to oversee the legality and fairness of the drawing activities, limiting their excessive proliferation.
The very next day, the Hardy Group received the first 'television drawing' activity license in the United States, granting them the legitimate right to conduct such activities moving forward.
The New York Times reported: "The Federal Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Hardy Casino, and the Hardy Group received the first 'television drawing' license issued by the government, securing the right to operate legally. The Hardy Group achieved a comprehensive victory."
The Los Angeles Times stated: "'Television drawing' was not classified as a monetized lottery activity, marking another setback for Dewey."
Global Times announced: "The Hardy Group is preparing to organize more diverse and varied television drawing activities. Meanwhile, Hardy has indicated they will apply for Nevada to open up the lottery business."
Those who knew the inside story couldn't help but express their frustrations.
This operation was so transparent that even a fool could see that the 'television drawing' license was tailor made for the Hardy Group.
Hardy already had a casino and a TV station, making it difficult for others to break into this business.
And now, with the addition of a new access permit, it was clear that this was not a restriction but rather a protective measure.
A measure to protect Hardy's business from being taken by others.
It was a blatant case of monopoly protection.
Those who knew more about the behind the scenes details understood that the success of this matter was closely tied to Hardy's investment in Johnson.
Hardy had gone to great lengths to support Johnson, and for Johnson to enact rules favoring his benefactor within his authority was simply part of the American political game.
Previously, the television drawing activity alone brought Hardy a profit of 20 to 30 million dollars annually. Now, with a legitimate status, Hardy is poised to expand aggressively. Given Hardy's business acumen, achieving an annual profit of 50 million dollars is well within reach.
Regarding this development.
The Mafia families and California consortiums working with Hardy were particularly pleased because Hardy had promised that once the new casino they invested in was completed, they would also conduct television drawing activities, allowing them to earn even more.