Category: Casino News

We apologize for the dearth of hard news lately. Compounding a two-week vacation with the Fourth of July holiday hasn’t been good for keeping you, dear reader, in the loop. This week in particular has been so slow it’s practically comatose. For news headlines we have been forced to read the tea leaves on a fairly routine changing of the guard at Light & Wonder, for instance.

Today’s lead story hails from Trenton, where New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D, above) inked a bill shortening the leash on the i-casino industry. While some lawmakers wanted licenses to sunset after two years (rather than the previous 10), that radical idea was headed off in committee. A compromise term of five years was settled upon. Given that the i-casino industry could change beyond recognition in another 10 years (ditto online sports betting) and that decade-long licenses but gaming companies in the driver’s set, we understand why the Lege and Murphy did what they did.

Continue reading Big Gaming gets its chain yanked, not always unfairly

It had to happen sometime. But it’s strange that Las Vegas Strip gambling revenues would lose momentum in a month (May) in which visitation to Sin City rose 1.5% from last year. 3.5 million people hit town, sending hotel occupancies to 84.5%, diluted somewhat by a 2% increase in hotel rooms since 2019. May was also good for conventions, which shot up 16%, bringing Las Vegas 453,900 conventioneers. 8% more people arrived or departed via plane while 2.5% more visited by car. And yet there was less gambling lucre for The Man when it was all said and done. Curious.

Continue reading Strip softens, locals don’t; Culinary coup; Fanatic-al frenzy

Congratulations, Las Vegas Golden Knights. For the second time in a year, Las Vegas has announced itself as a major-league city by bringing home a championship trophy. First it was the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA, now the Knights, who slammed the door last night on the outmatched Florida Panthers, 9-3. (Nothing says “hockey” like Florida against Nevada.) Even better, they did it on the home ice, clinching a 4-1 Stanley Cup triumph—the second time the Knights have been in the cup finals in their six years of existence. No NHL team has won Lord Stanley’s cup so quickly. Now the pressure is on the dysfunctional Las Vegas Raiders to do more than merely appear in a playoff game. They’ll get eight prime-time TV slots next season. Let’s hope they do Sin City proud.

Continue reading Case Bets

Mr. & Mrs. America’s torrid, post-pandemic love affair with casino gambling is finally cooling. It’s not cause for alarm, as we knew this was coming—in fact, it was expected to happen much sooner. And while players are dropping less at regional casinos, the picture is still quite roseate. Maryland gaming receipts slipped 5% last month, reaching $169.5 million, 11% better than 2019. MGM National Harbor was off 5.5% to $72 million. Reliable runner-up Maryland Live was good for $59 million, albeit down 6%. Horseshoe Baltimore turned in its usual $17.5 million, flat over last year, while Hollywood Perryville grossed $7.5 million for a 7.5% tumble. Ocean Downs plunged 8% but brought home $8.5 million while Rocky Gap Resort also fell 8% to $5 million. Given the circumstances, we’d say the relative stability of Horseshoe counts as a doggone moral victory. Thanks to strong slot play, West Virginia was actually 1% up last month, despite weak table play (-7%). Hollywood Charles Town outperformed the state, +4%, again buoyed by a good month (+6%) at the one-armed bandits.

Continue reading Maryland droops; Boardwalk bulletin; Barstool blunder