Massachusetts is expected to be one of the prime movers on the sports-betting front and, to that end, three bills have been filed in the Lege, no doubt much to the interest of homeboys DraftKings, the New England Patriots and Boston Celtics, among others. The 
most industry-friendly is state Sen. James Welch‘s, which would tax sports-betting revenue at 6.75% and would split sports betting into two categories, with the second category being venues like Plainridge Park that lack table games. Then there’s state Sen. Brendan Crighton‘s bill, which would legalize mobile wagering and contains a ‘bad actor’ that would redline any company found to have conducted illegal Internet wagering. It would tax revenues at 12.5%, set entry fees at $500,000 with $100,000 renewal charges. Least helpful is state Sen. Bruce Tarr‘s proposal for an 11-member commission to “consider the impact” on the Bay State. Because there’s nothing like a ‘fact-finding mission’ to put your tax dollars to good use. At least the chain would be yanked on Tarr’s committee after six months of study. But Massachusetts would probably be no closer to legal sports betting than before.
* Sports betting is paying off in a big way for Mississippi‘s Gulf Coast casinos, which are reporting their highest December revenue in history. The 12 casinos grossed a combined $106.5 million, their first $100-plus December haul since 2007 — before the Great Recession hit and everything fell off a cliff. Bets on the (then) playoff-bound New Orleans Saints are credited for the high numbers.
* Melco Crown Entertainment will no longer extend credit to VIP players at Studio City. But don’t weep for the high rollers. Melco is merely trying to steer their action to brand-new Morpheus. VIP play at Studio City was credited with bringing $40 million 
in cash flow to the casino. Given that low dollar volume as a percentage of Studio City revenue, Melco will suffer little by relocating 15 VIP tables to Morpheus. Furthermore, Studio City is a joint venture and a probable cessation of VIP gambling “should theoretically negatively impact the value of the Studio City asset. If Melco Resorts does decide to acquire the asset fully down the road, it could come at a slightly cheaper price,” wrote a trio of Sanford C. Bernstein analysts. An absence of five-star hotel rooms downgraded Studio City’s appeal to VIPs and the highest ranked restaurant it had was Michelin one-star Pearl Dragon. The VIP gambling tables were a late addition to Studio City’s arsenal, so they will probably not be greatly missed.
* Congratulations to International Game Technology on its new, seven-year pact with the South Dakota Lottery. The contract will run through 2026, with an optional, eight-year extension.
