Category Archives: DraftKings

Atlantic City update; G2E convenes; Penn upgrades

Posted on October 10, 2022 by David McKee

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day, especially to our tribal readers. We’re spending it nursing a nasty case of strep throat and distantly following Global Gaming Expo, which convenes today at the newly expanded Las Vegas Convention Center. This year’s G2E, like … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Dan Lee, Dining, DraftKings, FanDuel, G2E, Genting, GLPI, Golden Nugget, Health, Illinois, Kazuo Okada, Law enforcement, M Resort, Macau, MGM Resorts International, New York, Ocean Resort, Ohio, Penn National, Philippines, PointsBet, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Star Entertainment, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Report from the shore; Cretins win in Alabama

Posted on October 3, 2022 by David McKee

While Bally’s Corp. may not be the laughingstock of the casino industry, it isn’t for want of trying. You would think that Bally’s Atlantic City (above) would want to pimp nearby Bally’s Dover Downs to its customers. Instead it sent … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Alex Meruelo, Arizona, Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, Churchill Downs, Delaware, DraftKings, Economy, Hard Rock International, Health, Kentucky, Las Vegas Raiders, Marketing, Mississippi, New York, Politics, Sports betting, Star Entertainment, Taxes, United Kingdom, Wall Street, Washington State, WInd Creek | 1 Comment

Weekend edition

Posted on September 24, 2022 by David McKee

Internet gambling produced more than Detroit‘s casinos did for Michigan last month, $131 million to $104.5 million. Unsurprisingly, BetMGM was dominant with $49 million. Thence came DraftKings ($26.5 million) and FanDuel ($19 million). Smaller fry included BetRivers ($9 million), Caesars … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, California, Detroit, DraftKings, FanDuel, GLPI, Lake Tahoe, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Rush Street Gaming, The Strip, Tribal, Unite-Here, Vici Properties, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Wynn: Make mine Manhattan; Votes for sale; Mega-Jottings

Posted on September 20, 2022 by David McKee

There will be at least one serious push for a casino in the heart of New York City, now that Wynn Resorts has thrown in with Related Cos. on “an exposed and sunken rail yard” that some see as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Brothels, California, CQ Holdings, DraftKings, Entertainment, Genting, Georgia, Hawaii, Japan, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New York, North Las Vegas, Palms, Pennsylvania, Politics, Slot routes, Star Entertainment, Technology, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts, Wyoming | 1 Comment

Atlantic City still surging; Aces win it all for Las Vegas

Posted on September 19, 2022 by David McKee

Casino executives in Atlantic City may continue to plead poverty but the numbers tell a different story. Last month’s tally was $274 million, up 4.5% from last year. Slot revenue was $204 million, up 3% on looser hold and 3.5% … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, China, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., DraftKings, FanDuel, Genting, Golden Nugget, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, history, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Raiders, Louisiana, LVCVA, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, New York, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, The Strip, Wall Street, WInd Creek, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Atlantic City still surging; Aces win it all for Las Vegas

George of Georges; Bally’s crumbling; Indiana dips

Posted on September 13, 2022 by David McKee

Before we go any further, bravo, bravo, arcibravo to Hard Rock International to laying some serious bread on its salaried workers. As of now, the base salary for non-tipped employees at Hard Rock casinos goes from $18/hour to $21. Hard … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, Dining, DraftKings, Economy, Entertainment, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Tribal, United Kingdom, Virginia, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on George of Georges; Bally’s crumbling; Indiana dips

Horseshoe boosts St. Louis; U.K. gaming reform slowed

Posted on September 12, 2022 by David McKee

Gambling continues to prosper in Missouri, where August receipts ($161 million) were 5.5% above last year’s. Visitation was actually down 5% but per-player spending rose 11%, inflation be damned. Ameristar St. Charles was out front with $26.5 million, leaping 9%. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Century Casinos, Derek Stevens, DraftKings, Election, FanDuel, Missouri, New York, Penn National, Philippines, Regulation, Sports betting, United Kingdom | 3 Comments

Gaming levels off at high altitude; More Chicago shenanigans

Posted on September 9, 2022 by David McKee

Casino receipts are in for a quartet of states and they tell a similar tale: That gamblers are reining in their 2022 spending … but are still wagering (and losing) way more than three years ago. Hardly a picture of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally, Baseball, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Chicago, Churchill Downs, Dan Lee, DraftKings, Full House Resorts, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Health, Illinois, Iowa, Jack Entertainment, Kansas, Louisiana, Macau, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, North Las Vegas, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Sports betting, Station Casinos, TV | 4 Comments

Justice for German; MGM gets some Wall Street love

Posted on September 8, 2022 by David McKee

Clark County Administrator Robert Telles (D) is in custody for the murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German in what has all the appearance of a revenge killing. Good work by Las Vegas Metro, despite a set of … Continue reading →

Posted in Apollo Management, Bally, Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Fontainebleau, Hawaii, Horseracing, Indiana, Internet gambling, Kansas, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Problem gambling, Sexual misconduct, Sports betting, The Strip, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Jottings for the weekend

Posted on September 2, 2022 by David McKee

Aside from the launch of sports betting in Kansas—spearheaded by Hollywood Casino and Kansas Star—it’s been a slow news week. Casino gambling is headed the wrong way in Alabama, where employee-owned GreeneTrack Class II casino was forced to shut down, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Australia, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Connecticut, Crown Resorts, Detroit, DraftKings, Florida, history, Kansas, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Mohegan Sun, Money laundering, Nebraska, Penn National, Racinos, Seminole Tribe, Singapore, Sports betting, Taxes | 1 Comment

PILOT overboard!; Black Book bust; A spark for Sparks

Posted on August 31, 2022 by David McKee

“There is no evidence to suggest that casinos could not meet their PILOT obligations.” With those words Judge Michael Blee tossed New Jersey‘s current Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) special-status tax program for casinos, which has lost round after … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Derek Stevens, DraftKings, FanDuel, Gary Goett, Golden Nugget, Law enforcement, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Reno, Rush Street Gaming, Taxes, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Strip slows in July, Downtown flops; Mega-Jottings

Posted on August 30, 2022 by David McKee

Inflation and depleted discretionary income seem finally to have caught up with the Las Vegas Strip. July’s gambling win was 2.5% from the year previous (while locals casinos slipped 3%). The diñero, especially on the Strip, is so elevated from … Continue reading →

Posted in Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Downtown, DraftKings, Economy, Environment, FanDuel, Genting, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Iowa, Kansas, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas Sands, Laughlin, Louisiana, Macau, Mesquite, MGM Resorts International, North Las Vegas, Peninsula Pacific, Philippines, PointsBet, Regulation, Reno, Singapore, The Strip, Tourism, Virginia, Wall Street, Wendover | 1 Comment

Sharp decline in Detroit; Biden backs Seminoles, DeSantis

Posted on August 19, 2022 by David McKee

Motown casinos grossed $106 million last month, off 8.5% from July 2021 (and way down from 2019, excepting stellar MGM Grand Detroit). MGM led with $51 million, MotorCity followed with $35 million and, as always, Hollywood Detroit brought up the … Continue reading →

Posted in Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Detroit, DraftKings, FanDuel, Florida, FoxBet, Hard Rock International, Illitch Family, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Penn National, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Seminole Tribe, Sports betting, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Pennsylvania: Parx back on top; Gov’t milks problem gambling

Posted on August 18, 2022 by David McKee

Despite a 12.5% dropoff in revenue from July 2021, Parx Casino outpaced the rest of the Pennsylvania pack last month, booking $51 million in revenue. The only other casino to come close was Wind Creek Bethlehem, riding a 13.5% surge … Continue reading →

Posted in Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Centaur Gaming, China, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Donald Trump, DraftKings, FanDuel, FoxBet, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Health, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Mohegan Sun, Money laundering, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Tribal | 2 Comments

Atlantic City burgeoning; Posthumous Adelson scandal

Posted on August 17, 2022 by David McKee

Revenues on the Boardwalk jumped 8% last month from July 2021, reaching $299 million on the nose. Slot winnings were good, up 5.5% on 6.5% more coin-in but table win was even better, growing 16% on only 4% higher wagering. … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Bally, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, California, CityCenter, Donald Trump, DraftKings, Environment, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, history, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Ocean Resort, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Sports betting | 2 Comments

Tidal Wave in Atlantic City; FanDuel hits paydirt

Posted on August 15, 2022 by David McKee

Is Ocean Casino Resort‘s new leadership sweating comps? Our East Coast correspondent tried to score two for a Boz Scaggs concert, couldn’t, but paid anyway. What did he see? “The concert was far from being sold out. Do you think … Continue reading →

Posted in Apollo Management, Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Downtown, DraftKings, Election, Entertainment, FanDuel, Genting, Georgia, Golden Nugget, Health, Illinois, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nebraska, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Transportation, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Big Gaming’s boffo biz; Bay State buttinski; Trop’s doom sealed

Posted on August 12, 2022 by David McKee

Amidst all the gloom-and-doom talk about the U.S. economy, one sector is doing better than ever: gambling. 2Q22 was an industry-best and the year is on track to be the biggest in history (despite curtailments in international play). The American … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, Baseball, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Columbia Sussex, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Internet gambling, Laughlin, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, PointsBet, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Industry waffles on Sisolak; Illinois ekes upward

Posted on August 8, 2022 by David McKee

Cynicism, thy name is Big Gaming. Whereas its chips were all in with Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) the last time around, now it has a dampened finger held upwards, testing which way the wind is blowing. The Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Culinary Union, DraftKings, El Cortez, Election, Ellis Island, FanDuel, Genting, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Nevada, New York, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, PointsBet, Resorts World LV, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Cosmic quarter at MGM; New name, same old Penn

Posted on August 5, 2022 by David McKee

“No Recession yet, just all time records,” reported Truist Securities analyst Barry Jonas of MGM Resorts International‘s 2Q22 earnings call. Better-than-ever Las Vegas Strip and regional revenues beat the pants off Wall Street‘s expectations, outweighing “weakness” in Macao, where gaming … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Chicago, China, Churchill Downs, Conventions, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, DraftKings, FanDuel, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, history, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Scott Butera, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street, Wyoming | 1 Comment

Vici foresees blue skies; Ruffin + Athletics?; Phil the Shill

Posted on August 2, 2022 by David McKee

Vici Properties is sanguine about the U.S. economy, at least as it pertains to gambling. It can afford to be. Vici owns the real estate of 11 Las Vegas Strip casinos, which are sitting pretty these days. True, Vici lost … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Colorado, Donald Trump, DraftKings, Economy, Horseracing, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, Phil Ruffin, Real Estate, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Star Entertainment, The Strip, Tourism, Vici Properties, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Vici foresees blue skies; Ruffin + Athletics?; Phil the Shill