It would take more than an extra weekend day to account for a 7% slippage in Illinois gaming revenues, which were positive year/year in 2017. Nobody had a revenue-positive month, not even Rivers Casino, 
down 5% despite a state-leading $34 million gross. Grand Victoria, now Eldorado Resorts‘ problem, was off 8% to $13 million, while Harrah’s Joliet dipped 5% to $14 million. Penn National Gaming had very mixed results, with Hollywood Aurora holding its ground the best at $10 million, only 3% off but Empress Joliet tumbling 11% to $9.5 million. In the St. Louis market, Argosy Belle got a 12% hammering, to $4 million, while Casino Queen plummeted 11% to $7 million.
Par-A-Dice was about par for the course, grossing $6 million on a 5.5% decline, while independent Jumer’s Casino Rock Island slid 7% to $5.5 million. That left Harrah’s Metropolis, down 8% to $6 million. JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff didn’t speculate on the cause for the market-wide malaise so neither will we.
* We’ve never heard of a dress code for a casino before but, in advance of the ICE mega show in London, “partial or total nudity of stand staff, or 
overtly sexually suggestive clothing” has been banned by event organizer Clarion Gaming. The company said it sought to engender a “safe, respectful, ethical and appropriate working environment for everyone, including staff, exhibitors, customers and suppliers.” We’d say that’s a refreshing priority in the casino industry. “The 2018 edition of ICE London was the most successful on record but it was also the edition that generated the most coverage in consumer media and not for all of the right reasons,” said Clarion Managing Director Kate Chambers. People representing in-game characters don’t have to conform to the new rules but they do have to get permission ahead of time.
* First-month results are in for sports betting in Delaware and the magic number is $17 million in handle. That doesn’t translate to a lot of win for the sports books but it’s a start. Over in Pennsylvania, the first pair of sports-betting licenses were awarded and the lucky applicants were Parx Casino and Penn National Race Course. Parx said it could be ready next 
month but Penn is looking at a late-2018 or early 2019 startup. Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment, owner of Parx, is still waiting to see if sports betting will be allowed at its South Philadelphia Turf Club OTB. In an ironic development, Sands Bethlehem, owned by Internet-hating Sheldon Adelson, was granted one of the Keystone State’s first Internet-gambling licenses, with the other going to Valley Forge Casino Resort. We don’t know whether the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, incoming owners of Sands Bethlehem, forced Adelson’s hand but the old hypocrite’s entry into online gambling just about makes my day.
* Visitation to Macao during Golden Week is up 14% so far, which must give gaming operators some cheer. However, GGR Asia warns, “There is 
however no direct correlation between overall tourism arrivals and casino gross gaming revenue … in Macau, according to investment analysts, who have said that is because GGR in the Macau market has been typically skewed to high-end play.” Besides, we know that whales are endangered species whenever a visit from President Xi Jinping is anticipated.
If you happen to be in Macao, be comforted in the knowledge that five of Forbes Travel Guide‘s top 30 spaces are also in the enclave. Wynn Resorts scores a hat trick with top-rated spas at Wynn Macau, Encore Macau and Wynn Palace. Melco Resorts & Entertainment gets into the act with Zensa Spa at Studio City while Ritz-Carlton rounds out the pack with ESPA at Galaxy Macau.
* “Building a club like this in my hometown is a dream come true,” says my favorite late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel of his new comedy club on the Linq Promenade. Kimmel says he has “done extensive research, consulting with veteran comics to create the ideal venue for comedians and comedy lovers. My aim is to capture the spirit of classic Vegas with late night shows, surprise guests, live music, memorabilia from my career and food that will rival the finest restaurants in town.” That’s setting the bar pretty high. What seems apparent, though, is that — unlike Brad Garrett — Kimmel will not be a hands-on presence. Speaking of Garrett and of Xi Jinping, Chinese movie lovers have been deprived of the year’s best film, Christopher Robin, which has been banned behind the Bamboo Curtain. Why? It seems the China‘s political bloggers like to represent President Xi with a certain bear of very little brain, a jibe that hits to where Xi lives (and yes, I do see the resemblance).
