Author Archives: David McKee

About David McKee

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Quote of the Day

Posted on December 14, 2019 by David McKee

“It’s my belief we developed language because of our deep inner need to complain.”—Lily Tomlin.

Posted in Current | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Atlantic City up in November; Sports betting comes to Michigan

Posted on December 13, 2019 by David McKee

Gross gaming revenues of $224 million in Atlantic City last month represented a 7% gain. Table games (+11%) led the way, followed by slot revenues, up 6%. Table win at Borgata rose 14.5% on 7% more wagering, as the house … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, DFS, e-sports, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Environment, FanDuel, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | 1 Comment

Mega-Jottings

Posted on December 13, 2019 by David McKee

What do you do when the news is too short to justify a paragraph but too big to be ignored? How about a big-ass session of … Jottings: Mike Brooks and Tim Brooks, owners of the Emerald Isle Casino are … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Caesars Entertainment, Dan Lee, Eldorado Resorts, Full House Resorts, GLPI, International, Japan, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, Penn National, Scientific Games, South Korea, Spectacle Entertainment, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on Mega-Jottings

Pritzker in denial; Get Mobbed on New Year’s Eve

Posted on December 13, 2019 by David McKee

“This is the voice of delusion,” said an S&G source of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) and his stated optimism of getting a casino in Chicago, an idea that has drawn a cavernous yawn from the gaming industry. He tried … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Entertainment, Illinois, Japan, Kansas, Macau, Marijuana, New Jersey, Sports, Tamares Group, Taxes, The Mob, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Pritzker in denial; Get Mobbed on New Year’s Eve

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 13, 2019 by David McKee

“So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!”—Donald Trump, reacting to losing Time‘s Person of the Year to climate activist Greta Thunberg.

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

Looking for love in Macao; Resorts World LV’s big bet

Posted on December 12, 2019 by David McKee

“All of the juice has been squeezed out of the orange. Macao is starting to resemble more mature competitive markets such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City.” Ouch! That was Bloomberg Intelligence contributing analyst David Bonnet, taking an exceptionally gloomy view … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Century Casinos, Economy, Genting, Hard Rock International, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Missouri, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Philippines, Rush Street Gaming, South Korea, Taxes, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal, Vietnam | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 12, 2019 by David McKee

“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.”—President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Posted in Election | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Stitt, tribes going to the wire; California card rooms slammed

Posted on December 11, 2019 by David McKee

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) is escalating his rhetoric in his war with the Sooner State’s casino tribes. He says they’ll be operating gambling “illegally” starting on New Year’s Day. But his verbal volley wasn’t aimed at tribes so much as … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Downtown, Japan, Law enforcement, Maryland, Money laundering, Oklahoma, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Stitt, tribes going to the wire; California card rooms slammed

Penn a solid bet; New Year’s Eve in Vegas could be better

Posted on December 11, 2019 by David McKee

Penn National Gaming got a rave review from J.P. Morgan gaming analyst Joseph Greff, who wrote that ” we continue to believe PENN offers a favorable risk/reward with an attractive valuation.” Strong fundamentals in the regional-gaming sphere were cited, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Japan, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

What gives, Indiana?; Galaxy ousted from Philippines

Posted on December 11, 2019 by David McKee

Despite the excellent November performance of surrounding Midwest states, Indiana casinos were up only 1% last month. Factor in an extra weekend day this year and that’s a pretty underwhelming result. In its last full month of service, riverboat Glory of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Dining, DraftKings, Eldorado Resorts, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment, Indiana, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, Philippines, Rush Street Gaming, Spectacle Entertainment, Sports, Sports betting, The Mob, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on What gives, Indiana?; Galaxy ousted from Philippines

New angle on sports betting; Slot-route throw down in Missouri

Posted on December 9, 2019 by David McKee

Look out FanDuel and DraftKings: Here comes Tradesports. It’s a new wrinkle on U.S. sports wagering: a betting exchange. Say the New England Patriots are playing against the Kansas City Chiefs and you’ve got money on the Pats. Theoretically, you can … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Derek Stevens, Downtown, International, Macau, Missouri, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Slot routes, Sports betting, Technology, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on New angle on sports betting; Slot-route throw down in Missouri

Duterte socks it to casinos; Sports betting battle in California

Posted on December 9, 2019 by David McKee

This is an effective promotional tool. Why aren’t other companies doing it? (We’re looking at you, Caesars Entertainment.) * Philippine strongman Rodrigo Duterte is punching out at Philippines offshore gaming operators (POGOs) over delinquent taxes. He asserted that they had paid … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cosmopolitan, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Galaxy Entertainment, Genting, Hard Rock International, International, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports betting, The Rio, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Duterte socks it to casinos; Sports betting battle in California

Case Bets

Posted on December 9, 2019 by David McKee

Las Vegas went into the crapper last weekend, with the opening of the Giant Poo Experience in Lyft Art Park. I’m not inventing this. The larger-than-life-size mock-excrement was sponsored by airspray Poo-Pourri. Explained the company, “For over a decade, Poo~Pourri has … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Downtown, Entertainment, Internet gambling, Japan, Lotteries, Marketing, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Case Bets

Around the gambling world in nine stops

Posted on December 9, 2019 by David McKee

Please welcome new Stiffs & Georges guest contributor Cora Lee, a travel writer whose article on Japan‘s consumer culture was linked to S&G last week. Here is her debut S&G feature. Enjoy! Some places are known for their tropical islands, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Dining, Entertainment, International, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Movies, Singapore, The Strip, Tourism | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 9, 2019 by David McKee

“I was gratified to see that the rule itself is shorter than my own home insurance policy.”—the late Paul Volcker, on the Dodd-Frank rule.

Posted in Wall Street | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Clinton out in Yonkers, Glebocki in in Atlantic City

Posted on December 6, 2019 by David McKee

Uri Clinton is out as COO and president of MGM Resorts International‘s $850 million Empire City Casino after only a year in the post, although he’ll be retained as a consultant. Maybe he didn’t take to life in Yonkers. Despite … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Connecticut, DraftKings, FanDuel, Illinois, MGM Resorts International, New York, Ocean Resort, Politics, Revel, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting | 1 Comment

Illinois up, Maryland flat, Palms sued

Posted on December 6, 2019 by David McKee

Enjoy it while it lasts, Illinois. Gaming revenues shot up 8%, a welcome bit of good news. One extra weekend day surely helped although we find it hard to believe that entirely accounts for the variance. The overall gross was … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Cordish Co., Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, FanDuel, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Illinois, Law enforcement, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Palms, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta, Virginia, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 6, 2019 by David McKee

“We all need to treasure the things that bring us together as a nation, as a people. Collectively hating on this Peloton ad is that thing.”—National Public Radio producer Renée Klahr on the much-despised new Peloton ad.

Posted in Marketing | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Tumult in Atlantic City; Goodell’s exquisite hypocrisy

Posted on December 4, 2019 by David McKee

Atlantic City casinos have had enough with the town’s mayoral office. They want it eliminated in favor of a city manager. Difficult to argue with that one. Except for Don Guardian, we haven’t seen one A.C. mayor we’ve liked. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, China, Dining, Election, Entertainment, history, Indiana, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Oscar Goodman, Politics, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Wynn writes $20M check; Japan wants your winnings

Posted on December 3, 2019 by David McKee

Settlement of a shareholder lawsuit against Wynn Resorts will be covered in large part by Steve Wynn himself, paying $20 million, with insurers chipping in $21 million. The suit accused the Wynn Resorts board of directors of complicity in Steve … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Economy, Environment, Japan, Macau, Problem gambling, Sexual misconduct, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Wynn writes $20M check; Japan wants your winnings