Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

Bio

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 15, 2018 by David McKee

“We declare that any form of nativism, mistreatment, or exploitation is inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ.” — the Southern Baptist Convention, decrying Donald Trump‘s immigration policies.

Posted in Donald Trump, International | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Leagues greedy for bookie sponsorships; Wynn gets sued

Posted on June 15, 2018 by David McKee

Guess what? Major leagues’ opposition to sports betting has melted overnight and now they’re into it for as much money as they can get. Bookmaker William Hill reports being “inundated” with sponsorship requests. Hill is a logical candidate for this, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bruce Deifik, Current, Massachusetts, Regulation, Sports, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Leagues greedy for bookie sponsorships; Wynn gets sued

Canary in the coal mine

Posted on June 15, 2018 by David McKee

Is Las Vegas headed for another 2008-style bubble? That was my thought after seeing this headline. Fitch Ratings posits that homes in the Vegas area are overvalued by 20% to 24%. That would make them the most overpriced domiciles in … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Economy, history, Nevada, Wall Street | Comments Off on Canary in the coal mine

Another administration scandal?; Ocean Resort ready to go

Posted on June 14, 2018 by David McKee

Connecticut‘s congressional delegation continues to make noise about the yes-no-maybe nature of the Trump administration’s handling of the Mohegan Sun/Foxwoods Resort Casino compact to build an off-reservation casino in East Windsor. Wrote Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Chris Murphy and Reps. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bruce Deifik, Florida, Foxwoods, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Seminole Tribe, Tribal | Comments Off on Another administration scandal?; Ocean Resort ready to go

Big day in New Jersey; Atlantic City slips

Posted on June 14, 2018 by David McKee

Sports betting in New Jersey will go off as planned. As I write this, Monmouth Park is 20 minutes away from taking its first wager, presumably placed on the World Cup by Gov. Phil Murphy (D). “I’m thrilled to be doing … Continue reading →

Posted in Dan Gilbert, Detroit, DFS, Eldorado Resorts, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | 1 Comment

New Jersey ready for action; Strip club upstages Hard Rock

Posted on June 13, 2018 by David McKee

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) still plans to place his first sports wager at Monmouth Park tomorrow but Borgata is trying to crash the party. The megaresort issued a statement saying “we are moving ahead with all possible speed … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Delaware, Hard Rock International, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Stanley Ho, Taxes, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, West Virginia, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 13, 2018 by David McKee

“That’s not a statement I would have made. Statements like that — that he’s a very talented leader — I mean, he’s a brutal dictator. Let’s call it what it is.” — Sen. Jeff Flake (R) on Donald Trump‘s effusive … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, International | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Shutout in Japan?

Posted on June 12, 2018 by David McKee

With pachinko already representing a $30 billion industry, casino operators are right to think Japan is ripe for their product. But Forbes‘ Muhammad Cohen thinks Macao casino owners (well, technically you can’t “own” a casino in Macao, but we digress … Continue reading →

Posted in Galaxy Entertainment, Louisiana, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Philippines, Politics, South Korea | Comments Off on Shutout in Japan?

New Jersey: Play ball!; Brothels on the defensive in Nevada

Posted on June 12, 2018 by David McKee

Major League Baseball, which has a long and tortured history with gambling, is urging states other than Nevada not to copy the Silver State’s regulatory system when it comes to sports betting, Why? Nevada sports books are not required to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Delaware, Nevada, Politics, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Tilman Fertitta | 1 Comment

Waiting game in N.J.

Posted on June 11, 2018 by David McKee

Tempers were frayed as New Jersey legislators debated the fine points of sports betting. Demands from major-league representatives for ‘integrity fees’ got a frosty reception. Alluding to the legal bill the Garden State ran up fighting for legalized sports betting, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, e-sports, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on Waiting game in N.J.

Midwest torpor; Freeman says goodbye

Posted on June 11, 2018 by David McKee

A wave of prosperity among Midwest casinos has hit the wall, at least for the near term. Indiana and Missouri joined Illinois, Ohio and Iowa in reporting flat year/year gaming revenues for May. In Indiana, gamblers were losing 15.5% more … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Brazil, Centaur Gaming, Eldorado Resorts, Full House Resorts, Geoff Freeman, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Law enforcement, Macau, Majestic Star, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Midwest torpor; Freeman says goodbye

Fertitta shut out; Gaming blogger shut down

Posted on June 8, 2018 by David McKee

A provision in New Jersey‘s sports-betting law is good news for MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment, and bad news for Tilman Fertitta. The law bars owners of major-league teams from also offering sports betting. But a loophole exempts owners … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Harrah's, Illinois, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Slot routes, Sports, Technology, Tilman Fertitta | 3 Comments

Churchill Downs hearts casinos; Cleveland still not rocking

Posted on June 8, 2018 by David McKee

Churchill Downs is going all-in on sports betting, planning to leverage its (soon-to-be) access to the Pennsylvania and Mississippi markets, plus its relationship with the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City. However, the sky-high tax rate (34%) in Pennsylvania may translate … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Hard Rock International, International, Kentucky, Law enforcement, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on Churchill Downs hearts casinos; Cleveland still not rocking

Illinois doldrums; The dog ate her homework

Posted on June 7, 2018 by David McKee

Although all but two of its casinos were revenue-negative last month, Illinois gaming revenues were flat. The primary driver was Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, leaping 11% to $42 million (or over 1/3 of the state’s $120 million gross). Long-suffering … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, e-sports, Florida, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Illinois doldrums; The dog ate her homework

Delaware leads the way; Las Vegas tourism rebounds

Posted on June 6, 2018 by David McKee

A Delaware sports book took 36 bets in its first 20 minutes of operation yesterday, making it the first state outside Nevada to capitalize on the Supreme Court‘s recent legitimization of sports wagering. “In New York, we would go right to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Culinary Union, Delaware, Florida, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Reno, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Delaware leads the way; Las Vegas tourism rebounds

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 6, 2018 by David McKee

“In gaming, everyone plays blackjack the same way, they all have the same odds, everyone has a roulette wheel. The difference is what’s around it.” — Cordish Cos. Chairman David S. Cordish, stating an obvious but too often unremarked fact … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Cordish Co., Maryland | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Sports betting: Winners and losers; MGM mulls more Strip buys

Posted on June 6, 2018 by David McKee

According to gaming-law expert I. Nelson Rose, the Supreme Court‘s ruling on sports betting goes far, far beyond gambling: “For the first time in American history, the U.S. Supreme Court expressly held that the federal government cannot order states, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Cordish Co., DFS, Dubai, Fontainebleau, Genting, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Law enforcement, Marijuana, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Sports, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Next stop, East Windsor

Posted on June 5, 2018 by David McKee

It appears that a clear path has opened for Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casino Resort to develop a satellite casino. The Hartford Courant reports that “The U.S. Department of the Interior is expected to publish a much-delayed notice Friday that … Continue reading →

Posted in Foxwoods, Geoff Freeman, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Regulation, Sports | 1 Comment

Boyd downsizes on Boulder Strip; Freeman leaves AGA

Posted on June 5, 2018 by David McKee

Some of you may have wondered what Boyd Gaming was doing by owning two side-by-side casinos on the Boulder Strip — adding Eastside Cannery to Sam’s Town. The marketplace may have had some confusion, too. After all, locals do not … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Culinary Union, Dining, Geoff Freeman, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Resort fees, Sports | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 5, 2018 by David McKee

“[Donald] Trump creates chaos for no reason other than his own flagrant inability to follow rules or respect the interests of others. His is a psychopath’s trade war. The result will be to undermine the long-term role of the dollar; ratchet … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Quote of the Day