Category Archives: Economy

Trump: The Fix is In; Battle of Gettysburg III

Posted on January 16, 2017 by David McKee

Gaming executives who are buddies with Donald Trump just got a rude surprise when attorney general nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions (R) said he was “shocked” by the 2011 reinterpretation of the Wire Act, whereby Internet gaming became legal. This sets … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, history, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes | Comments Off on Trump: The Fix is In; Battle of Gettysburg III

Warm December in Atlantic City; Las Vegas stages comeback

Posted on January 13, 2017 by David McKee

Online gambling continues to be a hit with New Jersey players, up 31% to $18 million in December. Resorts Digital‘s market share has eked past Tropicana Entertainment‘s but Golden Nugget is far and away the leader, with 26%. Enjoy it … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Economy, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Revel, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Warm December in Atlantic City; Las Vegas stages comeback

Trump vs. Las Vegas; E-sports is big busine$$

Posted on January 12, 2017 by David McKee

“Donald Trump is the most uninformed president the U.S. has ever had.  This is not an opinion.  It is based on the realities of how human beings communicate:  He does not read.  ‘[Trump] said in a series of interviews that he does not … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off on Trump vs. Las Vegas; E-sports is big busine$$

Jesus scapegoated for December results; Changing of the guard in New Jersey

Posted on January 11, 2017 by David McKee

Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli put in some quality time in Las Vegas recently and came away satisfied with the market, particularly MGM Resorts International, Station Casinos, Boyd Gaming and Penn National Gaming, although he had no new intel on … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Economy, Foxwoods, Georgia, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Lucky Dragon, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Politics, Station Casinos, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Jesus scapegoated for December results; Changing of the guard in New Jersey

A slight chill in the air

Posted on January 10, 2017 by David McKee

Even allowing for additional weekend in 2016, gaming results last month were a tad frosty,  shall we say? The best market was Missouri, which was merely flat. That was largely due to strength in the St. Louis area, where Pinnacle … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Full House Resorts, GLPI, Harrah's, Indiana, Isle of Capri, Majestic Star, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on A slight chill in the air

2017: Boom or bust?

Posted on January 4, 2017 by David McKee

Vital Vegas, whose predictive skills are superior to ours, recently came out with a blockbuster, forecasting that Las Vegas Sands or MGM Resorts International or Wynn Resorts (or maybe some combination of the above) might be headed into bankruptcy. “Tectonic … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Detroit, Economy, Harrah's, Japan, Macau, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Macao: Cautious recovery predicted; Straub sets Revel reopening

Posted on December 30, 2016 by David McKee

“Does the fact that Macao has an Eiffel Tower now bring extra people to the market,” asked Union Gaming Group analyst Grant Govertsen rhetorically. “Yes, but their main activity here will still be gaming.” “They” includes players from as far … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, CityCenter, Dining, Economy, G2E, Glenn Straub, Internet gambling, Japan, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 1 Comment

A legend passes; Packer flops in Vegas (again)

Posted on December 29, 2016 by David McKee

Before we get back to business, a few brief mentions. First, let us have a moment of silence for Strip icon and former Las Vegas casino owner Debbie Reynolds, victim of a fatal stroke.  Coming as it did a day … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, history, James Packer, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Melco Crown Entertainment, North Las Vegas, Reno, The Strip, Uncategorized, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Freeman: All I want for Christmas …

Posted on December 27, 2016 by David McKee

Mid-December is a time when children compose their Christmas letters to Santa Claus. In much the same spirit, American Gaming Association President Geoff Freeman was framing a missive to Donald Trump. After pointing out that the industry was on a … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Arizona, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Geoff Freeman, Internet gambling, Nevada, Regulation, Taxes, Tourism, Tribal | 2 Comments

Racinos lap casinos in Ohio; “Golden Knights” kiboshed

Posted on December 9, 2016 by David McKee

Ohio‘s four main casinos performed weakly last month, with Dan Gilbert‘s Jack Cleveland ($16 million, -4%) and Jack Cincinnati ($15 million, -7%) still not validating their new brand. Ironically, the once-superfluous Thistledown Racino is saving Jack’s bacon, up 13% to … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Japan, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Taxes | Comments Off on Racinos lap casinos in Ohio; “Golden Knights” kiboshed

Pennsylvania gets a second look; Tioga Downs debuts new casino

Posted on December 6, 2016 by David McKee

Funny that we should have been discussing Pennsylvania yesterday. Fitch Ratings analyst Alex Bumazhny made a field trip to Philadelphia and Bethlehem, and came away impressed by the $164 million expansion of SugarHouse. He concluded that its new features, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Economy, Harrah's, Horseracing, Lucky Dragon, Macau, Marketing, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Singapore, Stanley Ho, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Running the tables in Pennsylvania; MGM woos Georgia (again)

Posted on December 5, 2016 by David McKee

Due to Pennsylvania‘s quirky habit of releasing slot and table game revenue numbers in staggered fashion, we don’t often comment on Keystone State gambling revenues. Fortunately, the Center for Gaming Research at UNLV consolidates the information into one handy-dandy report. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Aristocrat, Australia, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Georgia, GLPI, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Hooters, Isle of Capri, Macau, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, SLS Las Vegas, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Running the tables in Pennsylvania; MGM woos Georgia (again)

Japan: The impossible happens

Posted on December 5, 2016 by David McKee

Just when even Wall Street analysts were giving up hope — and ahead of schedule — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe got a casino-legalization bill through the Diet. This isn’t the end of the process, although casinos are now legal, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, Donald Trump, Economy, Geoff Freeman, Hard Rock International, Japan, Kazuo Okada, MGM Mirage, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Japan: The impossible happens

Caesars: No free ride; Straub sues New Jersey

Posted on December 1, 2016 by David McKee

In an utterly predictable move, Caesars Entertainment will begin charging for parking at its Las Vegas Strip casinos in late December, at the same when MGM Resorts International‘s paid-parking regime is expected to go wide, encompassing locals. (December 29 is … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Encore, Entertainment, Glenn Straub, Harrah's, Japan, Macau, MGM Mirage, Movies, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Reboot for Wynn Palace; Does Trump still heart sports betting?

Posted on November 30, 2016 by David McKee

Gaming analysts confirm reports of a slow opening at Wynn Palace in Macao, likening its performance to that of the early days of Studio City — not the sort of comparison Wynn Resorts probably wanted to hear. Room rates have … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Economy, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Sports, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Strip booms in October; Trouble in Tiverton

Posted on November 29, 2016 by David McKee

Not even a 16.5% decline in table wagers could hold back the Las Vegas Strip last month, as gaming revenues shot up 14%, to $563 million. Statewide, casinos didn’t do so badly either, up 11%. The one-armed bandits on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Foxwoods, history, Iowa, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Lucky Dragon, Macau, Massachusetts, Mesquite, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Rhode Island, Taxes, The Strip | 1 Comment

End of a golden tribal era; Vegas Vic gets his due

Posted on November 29, 2016 by David McKee

Already gaming pundits are reading the entrails of the presidential election and predicting that while a Donald Trump administration could be Bad News for Internet gambling it will be Very Bad News Indeed for tribal gaming. Words like “disaster” are … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, history, Indiana, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Regulation, Tribal | 4 Comments

Trump Taj saves Atlantic City; Barrack resurfaces; Visiting Memory Lane

Posted on November 17, 2016 by David McKee

When we rounded up Atlantic City gaming numbers yesterday, we didn’t get into market-adjusted comparisons and thus buried the lead. The Boardwalk’s surviving casinos saw, on average, a 6% increase in gaming revenue, thanks to the Oct. 10 closing of … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Cirque du Soleil, Colony Capital, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, history, Internet gambling, Japan, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, PokerStars, Regulation, Revel, Sahara, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, West Virginia, Wisconsin | 1 Comment

Ivey loses a round; Freeman loses it

Posted on November 15, 2016 by David McKee

Emboldened by a federal court ruling that Phil Ivey and an associate violated the New Jersey Casino Control Act by using “edge sorting” to alter the odds of baccarat in their favor, Borgata is upping its demands against the pair, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Economy, Geoff Freeman, Law enforcement, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off on Ivey loses a round; Freeman loses it

Florida: Scott loses, big time; Coup d’etat in Atlantic City

Posted on November 11, 2016 by David McKee

Fourteen more years. That’s how long the Seminole Tribe can have exclusive rights to blackjack in Florida, thanks to a ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle. It’s a huge win for the Seminoles and not entirely unforeseen, given how … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Florida, Geoff Freeman, Georgia, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Japan, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Rhode Island, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Florida: Scott loses, big time; Coup d’etat in Atlantic City