Category Archives: AGA

Vegas: Locals outperform the Strip; Sisolak nuked

Posted on January 31, 2019 by David McKee

Nevada gaming revenue was up 4% last month, just a few hundred thousand shy of an even billion dollars, even though the Las Vegas Strip was relatively stagnant. Strong baccarat win by the house (jumping 14.5%) was offset by 3% … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Aristocrat, Boulder Strip, Donald Trump, Downtown, Environment, IGT, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, Nevada, Regulation, Reno, Scientific Games, South Carolina, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Super Bowl generates heavy action; Hard Rock marquee finds retirement home

Posted on January 28, 2019 by David McKee

$325 million. That’s the legal handle that PlayUSA.com is predicting will be wagered on Super Bowl LIII. Nevada will have the plurality of bets, some $160 million, with New Jersey seeing $100 million in action, including online wagers. The nascent … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Arizona, CityCenter, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, history, International, Internet gambling, Mississippi, Movies, New Jersey, New Mexico, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Sports, Sports betting, Tourism, West Virginia | Comments Off

Adelson sparks firestorm

Posted on January 21, 2019 by David McKee

When Bill Miller was appointed CEO of the American Gaming Association, we speculated that his relationship with Sheldon Adelson would be “less strained” than that of predecessor Geoff Freeman. Indeed, that already seems to be the case. It would account … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Delaware, DFS, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, Geoff Freeman, Illinois, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Oh, what a tangled web we weave …

Posted on January 21, 2019 by David McKee

… when we call our new casino Circa. An S&G source has done some research on the matter and found that “Circa” is trademarked to Michigan company NMH Acquisition. The Patent Office gave Circa “trademark serial number of 87960443.” NMH … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, CityCenter, Dan Lee, Derek Stevens, Downtown, International, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting | Comments Off

Reid rages against the dying of the light; Michigan nixes Net bets

Posted on January 4, 2019 by David McKee

Nevada‘s most famous gaming regulator is dying. Harry Reid has pancreatic cancer and we’d say he’s throwing verbal restraint to the winds now that he has nothing to lose — but that has always been Reid’s style. The New York … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, Donald Trump, Harry Reid, history, Internet gambling, Japan, Massachusetts, Politics, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, Tourism, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Bad idea refuses to die; E-sports comes to the Boardwalk

Posted on December 20, 2018 by David McKee

Sens, Chuck Schumer (D) and Orrin Hatch (R), forever in search of bad ideas to espouse, it would seem, have introduced the Sports Wagering Market Integrity Act of 2018. There’s no mention of Hatch’s cockamamie notion of individual states having … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Dining, e-sports, Economy, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Politics, Racinos, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Sports betting comes to D.C.; Free advice for Steve Wynn

Posted on December 19, 2018 by David McKee

In a move that is certain to chap the hindquarters of prudes like Sen. Orrin Hatch (R), the District of Columbia‘s ruling body has voted 11-2 to legitimize sports betting in our nation’s capitol. According to NBC, the legislation permits … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, California, Dining, Marketing, Mississippi, Politics, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on December 18, 2018 by David McKee

“Much to the AGA’s credit, this is a remarkable time for gaming in America. The industry is growing, acceptance of gaming as mainstream entertainment has never been higher and the opportunities to continue to advance gaming’s agenda are abundant. I … Continue reading →

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New boss at AGA; Route 91 Harvest returns

Posted on December 17, 2018 by David McKee

Replacing Geoff Freeman, the American Gaming Association has tapped Business Roundtable Senior Vice President for Government Relations Bill Miller. A Beltway lobbyist of two decades’ standing, Miller should be able to hit the ground running. Thirteen years of lobbying on … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, California, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Geoff Freeman, Greenwood Racing, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 3 Comments

Scratch one casino; Adios, Megabus

Posted on November 29, 2018 by David McKee

Tunica continues to hemorrhage casinos. The latest casualty is Tunica Roadhouse. Owner Caesars Entertainment is terminating gambling at the property, although the 135-room hotel will be kept operational. This makes Horseshoe Tunica Caesars’ only remaining casino in the market. The move … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Arizona, Arkansas, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Hard Rock International, International, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Regulation, Sports betting, Tilman Fertitta, Transportation, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Illinois tries, tries again; I, robot

Posted on October 18, 2018 by David McKee

Here we go again. Illinois solons will once more take up the question of casino expansion in the Land of Lincoln. However, other and more pressing gambling concerns may take priority. In addition to Internet gambling there is the quick … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, DFS, Economy, GLPI, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Lawrence Ho, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sports betting, Taxes, Technology, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Follow that puck!; Connecticut casino nixed

Posted on October 2, 2018 by David McKee

$216 million. That’s how much sports betting will be worth to the NHL, according to the American Gaming Association‘s Sara Slane. The new revenue will be achieved “as a result of spending from betting operators on advertising, data and sponsorship … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Economy, Foxwoods, Full House Resorts, Greenwood Racing, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Macau, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Reno, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Transportation | Comments Off

Congress: Listen to the ladies (it’s not what you think)

Posted on October 1, 2018 by David McKee

We predicted a kangaroo court for sports betting on Capitol Hill last week and our fears were confirmed when influential Rep. James Sensenbrenner opined that “We’re going to be in for huge amounts of trouble in the future.” Nothing like stacking … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Economy, G2E, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Federal sports-betting regulation bombs

Posted on September 28, 2018 by David McKee

At least one woman was treated with respect yesterday on Capitol Hill and that was the American Gaming Association‘s Sara Slane. We reviewed her prepared testimony yesterday. “Because of the active, robust state and regulatory tribal gaming oversight, gaming is one … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Current, Economy, Law enforcement, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, The Strip | Comments Off

Culinary, Stevens clash; House lumps sports betting with terrorism

Posted on September 27, 2018 by David McKee

Labor contracts with the Culinary Union have long since expired but three casinos continue to hold out. Phil Ruffin‘s Treasure Island is one but there’s been no animus from the Culinary on that front. Where Derek Stevens is concerned it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Architecture, California, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Dining, Downtown, Georgia, Law enforcement, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Tribal | 1 Comment

Louisiana heats up; Pilgrimage to Plains

Posted on September 24, 2018 by David McKee

Louisiana gamblers were living large in August, leaving 9% more than last year in the slots and on the tables, some $212 million in total. This was especially good for Caesars Entertainment (+12%) and even more so for Boyd Gaming … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, Environment, Georgia, GLPI, history, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Project First Light dims; Once and future Horseshoe?

Posted on September 11, 2018 by David McKee

After much hemming and hawing, the Trump administration finally came down off the fence on the Mashpee Wampanoag‘s Project First Light casino, saying it couldn’t see a way forward to taking the land into trust for gaming purposes. U.S. District Court … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, DFS, Dining, Eldorado Resorts, Genting, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Movies, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

State of D-nile; Red-tag sale at Caesars

Posted on September 5, 2018 by David McKee

Xstal Campbell, a former dancing barmaid at The D, will be testifying before the Nevada Gaming Control Board today, along with other, unidentified casino workers. The subject will be sexual harassment. Ms. Campbell, who also will try her case before … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Marketing, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Hatch slammed by AGA; Drinking the Kool-Aid

Posted on August 27, 2018 by David McKee

Orrin Hatch (R) is on his way out of the U.S. Senate but not without being a buttinski along the way. His last legislative initiative, it appears, will be to push for federal regulation of sports betting. His concern is … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Bruce Deifik, Economy, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Politics, Sports betting | 1 Comment