Case Bets

When Las Vegas casinos sit down with the Culinary Union this year expect wireless “panic buttons” to be on the table. Labor unions have been pushing for these as a means of summoning security when their members are assaulted by guests. In one such appalling incident, a Boulder Station housekeeper was doing her job when a “man stormed the room, punched the woman in the face, closed the doors and assaulted her. The victim told police that she yelled, but the man only hit her harder.” A similar incident led to an arrest at Bally’s. The so-called panic buttons are already standard hotel issue in New York City, Seattle and Chicago.

It shouldn’t be a sticking point in labor talks. MGM Resorts International is already on board with the idea. Caesars Entertainment says it is developing “pilot programs that explore how technology can enhance employee safety.” The Culinary also wants stronger anti-sexual harassment language in the collective-bargaining agreement, a topic that has been the talk of Sin City of late.

* The casino genie is well and truly out of the bottle in Connecticut. Now that a tribal casino has been approved for East Windsor, the Legislature is laying covetous eyes upon Bridgeport (taxes!) and MGM, Foxwoods Resort Casino, and Mohegan Sun are all eager to seize the prize. “Gaming will be one of those hot-button issues in the upcoming session,” said Rep. Joe Verrengia (D). MGM has already pitched a $675 million casino for Bridgeport, so the bar has been set for Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun to clear. Of course the tribes stand to win even if they lose because if MGM gets Bridgeport the Pequots and Mohegans no longer have to share 25% of their slot revenue with the Nutmeg State.

Having expanded OTBs last year, legislators are expected to look at DFS and legalized sports betting this year. The logical host would be SporTech Venues, which has a monopoly on Connecticut OTBs. However, sports betting and DFS could also be put under the umbrella of the state lottery or even be made the province of the state’s growing number of casinos. It’s too early to see which way the legislature will lean but it’s clear it wants a bigger slice of the gambling pie.

* Hartford isn’t the only place where sports betting is looked upon as salvation. Having eked out only a 1% growth in revenue last year, St. Louis casinos see sports betting as a way to grow their market. Casinos in the area are well off their 2011 pace of $1.8 billion and the only one significantly growing revenue is Lumiere Place. However, don’t expect rescue to be imminent. The Eilers & Krejcik firm projects that sports betting in the Show-Me State is five years distant.

* Need another excuse to celebrate at a casino? How about Lunar New Year? Casinos need to find a way to have a new year every month.