Ohio‘s gaming industry continues to experience woes. Former lottery director Pat McDonald claims to have resigned for reasons of health. Gov. Mike DeWine (R) cites “HR irregularities.” Either way, McDonald’s out abruptly. Top members of DeWine’s staff personally escorted him from the building. Now DeWine has to find a Mr. or Ms. FixIt and soon. For the time being aerospace specialist Michelle Gilchrist is the new occupant of the hot seat. We don’t envy her.
Sports betting numbers for Illinois in February have finally dribbled in and operators grossed $68.5 million on unspecified handle. (Hold was just under 8%, if you feel like doing the math.) FanDuel came in first with $36 million, distantly followed by DraftKings ($18.5 million), BetRivers ($6 million), PointsBet ($4.5 million), Barstool Sports ($2 million) and Caesars Sportsbook ($1 million). Nonfactors included BetMGM. As we tweeted yesterday, PointsBet has reportedly had its fill of the U.S. market and is looking to sell for cheap. BallyBet may be so desperate to acquire market share that it bids on it, part of its kitchen-sink strategy. Barstool is also tipped as a potential buyer and would effectively freeze out a number of rivals if it could import all the PointsBet customers.
MGM Resorts International has officially been tapped to co-develop (with Orix Corp.) pentagon-shaped Yumeshina Island in Osaka‘s harbor. Casino backers hope to monetize the $8 billion-or-more megaresort through whales from China, which seems very much like wishful thinking right now. Osaka’s own officialdom projects that 70% of the visitors will be Japanese. Even so, diversification will be critical, as Japan‘s population is rapidly graying. It’s a long haul to the 2029 opening but, for now, congratulations to Jim Murren and Bill Hornbuckle for having persevered, and eventually succeeded, just as Hornbuckle’s patience was running thin.
