Taking its own sweet time, Hard Rock Atlantic City will finally have a sports book in early 2019. Malta-based Gaming 
Innovation Group has been tapped to handle the nuts and bolts. The lack of sports betting in what should be a high-traffic casino might help to explain why Hard Rock hasn’t been able to break out of third place in Atlantic City. Maybe the nearby Tropicana could offer a few helpful hints.
* Centaur Gaming principals John Keeler and Rod Ratcliff didn’t stay out of the gambling business for long after Caesars Entertainment bought them out. They’re working to buy the two Majestic Star riverboats. Their plan is to move the license of one of them to another location in the state of Indiana and, has already been discussed here, relocate the other boat in Gary. We’ll follow this with interest.
* Are you an opera lover who hopes to have a bit of a flutter after the curtain comes down. Tesuque Casino, newly open next door to Santa Fe Opera, is the place for you. It has 800 slots and 10 table games for operatic high rollers. Did you know that, in 19th century Italy, opera seasons were subsidized by the profits of the casino in the foyer? He who owned the gaming concession literally called the tune.
* Day-trippers to Macao are being barred from the new HKZM bridge in favor of longer “quality trips.” The stated reason is to ease the burden on the infrastructure but it dovetails nicely with Macao’s desire to lengthen hotel stays, doesn’t it?
* Congratulations to Mark Birtha, newly elevated from the presidency of Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park to that of in-progress, $440 million Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, an obvious vote of confidence in Birtha’s abilities. We’ve interviewed him and the man is a class act. We wish him continued success.
