Need a scorecard to keep up with the progress of sports betting? Never fear, the American Gaming Association has provided one. It shows sports-betting legislation on the docket in 15 states, including casino-averse Texas and 
Vermont. States that have rejected sports wagering include Maryland, Georgia, Virginia, Arizona, Kansas, the Dakotas and Hawaii (the latter rather surprisingly, given its residents’ fever for betting). Online sports betting has yet to go live in Pennsylvania but that may change in a couple of weeks. Parx Casino says it’s all systems go for an early June takeoff. The disclosure came during Parx’s five-year relicensing hearing, during which it received a unanimous vote of confidence from regulators. Also on the docket was Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs‘ proposed sports book, which also got a thumbs up, bringing the Keystone State’s total to eight.
Wrigleyville may be a-swarm with sports books, if state Rep. Mike Zalewski (D) gets his way. He’s introducing a bill in the Illinois that would legalize bookies within a five-block radius of Guaranteed Rate Field, Soldier Field, United Center and Wrigley Field, provided that the resident teams agree. And why shouldn’t they? Zalewski’s bill requires the participating bookies pay a 0.25% royalty to the leagues and base their odds on official major-league data. The sports arenas could even host sports books on their premises. Depending on whether would-be oddsmakers balk or not at Zalewski’s requirements he seems to have something for everybody.
* Rivers Casinos in Pittsburgh needs to get a lot better at carding drinkers. It just got hit with a $90,000 fine for seven instances when people under 21 
gambled and drank. To its credit, Rivers caught the oversights and self-reported them. “We’ve reviewed and modified internal procedures to help prevent recurrence. We respect the decision of the gaming board,” said spokesman Jack Horner. A pat on the back to Rivers for doing the right thing when it would have been easier—and cheaper—to sweep it under the rug.
* Taco Bell, of all unlikely parties, is opening a Palm Springs resort based around the brand. Do they mean ‘cheap and unsatisfying’? You can even have a Taco Bell-themed wedding there, if that catches your fancy. “I have often quipped that Taco Bell is the fast fashion of food. We have our everyday classics, but then we’re always introducing these cool limited-edition experiences to do something new and different,” said Chief Brand Officer Marisa Thalberg. If Palm Springs is a success could Las Vegas be next?
* Is there light at the end of the Mandalay Bay Massacre tunnel? MGM Resorts International is floating talk of an $800 million settlement, which is a laudable turnaround from where we left them, suing the victims of the shooting. We’ll keep tabs on this.
* Station Casinos is catching flack from a Las Vegas mother whose son died of from drug use. Seems the giant-pill stickers on the outside of the revamped Palms don’t amuse her and evidently equates them with the promotion of recreational drug use. We don’t expect Station to budge but it’s worth a mention.
* Grumpy Cat (2012-9). Rest in peace, fellow curmudgeon.
