Category Archives: IGT

Penn, Pinnacle nuptials in the offing; Connecticut sues Trump administration

Posted on December 1, 2017 by David McKee

To absolutely no one’s surprise, Pinnacle Entertainment and Penn National Gaming formally affirmed that they are in merger talks. Among the upsides, Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli cites the alleviation of forced asset sale in Pennsylvania, where the number of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Foxwoods, Genting, IGT, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Mohegan Sun, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Scientific Games, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Wall Street loves Station; New wine in old bottles

Posted on November 28, 2017 by David McKee

Wall Street has identified one beneficiary of the tax bill currently before Congress: Station Casinos. As how it will affect those sought-after Millennials, well, companies like Station may have to re-do their math. (Pillaging discretionary income for people making less … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, e-sports, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, IGT, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Palms, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Bullish Boyd; Inside Station’s crystal ball

Posted on November 13, 2017 by David McKee

Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli met with Boyd Gaming‘s brain trust and liked what he heard, but I’ll let him tell it in his own words: “Within Las Vegas, management is encouraged by unrated play, particularly in the Downtown segment, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Economy, Florida, IGT, Internet gambling, Marketing, Palms, Reno, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

MGM: The lion roars; Station doubles down

Posted on November 8, 2017 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International, so long in the headlines due to bad news, made some good news this week. In the third quarter room revenues were up 4% along the Las Vegas Strip and table game hold was substantially higher, both … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Election, IGT, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Palms, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Tally-ho, friends!; NY State casinos cry uncle

Posted on October 30, 2017 by David McKee

As Sigma Derby games at MGM Grand and The D continue to eke out a perilous existence, getting by on spare parts cannibalized from other machines, they have a new rival. Konami Gaming has taken note of the enduring popularity … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Derek Stevens, Dining, Economy, Genting, IGT, International, Jeff Guard, Macau, MGM Mirage, New York, Sports, Taxes, Technology, Tourism, TV | 1 Comment

Ex-cons working casino floors?; Kansas casinos set record

Posted on October 13, 2017 by David McKee

You’d think casinos in Massachusetts, where job applicants far outnumber available positions, could get by without hiring convicted criminals. Think again. A bill before the Lege would open a loophole for people with criminal records to hold down jobs in … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, G2E, GameCO, Harrah's, IGT, International, Kansas, Lawrence Ho, Massachusetts, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off

Stirrings of life on North Strip; Freeman hails Macao

Posted on May 19, 2017 by David McKee

Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli visited Las Vegas this week and saw signs of life on the North Strip: “Despite limited progress, some recent concrete work is evident on the steel structures at Resorts World. We believe the project remains … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Fontainebleau, G2E, Galaxy Entertainment, Genting, Geoff Freeman, IGT, Marketing, Maryland, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Analysts: Station underperforms; Miami Beach bans casinos

Posted on May 5, 2017 by David McKee

Station Casinos reported revenue yesterday and the Palms is on track for 6% ROI this year. So there’s some work to be done. Management is already off to a good start by closing the world’s largest Hooters, victim of sagging … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Dining, Donald Trump, Florida, Genting, George Maloof, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, history, IGT, International, MGM Mirage, PokerStars, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Station Casinos, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Big bounce in Louisiana; Poker and booze go better together

Posted on April 19, 2017 by David McKee

Compared with a flood-plagued March of 2015, business was booming at Louisiana casinos, up 10%, especially Baton Rouge (+20.5%), although New Orleans was flat. JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff is predicting less salubrious results in April, blaming the Easter Bunny, among … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Foxwoods, Genting, GLPI, Harrah's, IGT, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Louisiana, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Regulation, South Korea, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street | Comments Off

Ducey: Let’s make a deal; Trump = legal sports betting?

Posted on November 22, 2016 by David McKee

It looks like the State of Arizona may be ready to throw in the towel in its losing fight against the Tohono O’odham Nation over its Desert Diamond casino. Gov. Doug Ducey (R) has inked a new compact with 10 … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Arizona, Boulder Strip, Donald Trump, Geoff Freeman, IGT, Lucky Dragon, Marketing, Politics, Regulation, SLS Las Vegas, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off

They messed with Texas; Strip hotels have boom month

Posted on October 28, 2016 by David McKee

Tribal casinos are normally pretty tight-lipped about their financial performance. Not so the Alabama Coushatta Tribe of Texas. “It’s a quaint little spot and we’re pretty proud of it,” a tribal member told Houstonia magazine, speaking of Naskila Gaming, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, California, Economy, G2E, history, IGT, Marketing, Penn National, Regulation, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Florida grilled over blackjack games; Caesars’ lucky streak continues

Posted on October 7, 2016 by David McKee

Things are looking grim for Florida Gov. Rick Scott‘s case against the Seminole Tribe. An attorney for the state was described as getting “shellacked” by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle. The latter zeroed in on the state’s “designated player games” … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, IGT, International, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Massachusetts, Philippines, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Stanley Ho, Technology, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Pennsylvania casinos trounce state; MGM looks to Brazil

Posted on September 30, 2016 by David McKee

Pennsylvania cities and counties could find themselves short of money soon — and legislators have to locate even more cash on short notice, as though the current budget impasse wasn’t trouble enough. The commonwealth has been given three months, tops, by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Greenwood Racing, IGT, International, Internet gambling, Japan, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip | Comments Off

Sheldon’s new errand boy; Caesars: Let’s make a deal

Posted on September 26, 2016 by David McKee

Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson is known to be the Lady Bountiful of the 2016 election, showering promising senatorial candidates with cash. One such hopeful is Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton (R), who has thrown a legislative Hail Mary, attempting … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Election, G2E, Genting, GLPI, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Internet gambling, New York, Penn National, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, Technology, Unite-Here, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

Parisian opens amid uncertainty; Jones attacks old-boy network

Posted on September 13, 2016 by David McKee

While Sheldon Adelson‘s Las Vegas Review-Journal covered the opening of Wynn Palace from a safe distance, it has sent Richard Velotta to Macao to be on hand for today’s opening of Parisian Macao. What he discovered, among other things, was … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, California, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, IGT, International, Japan, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Nevada, Pinnacle Entertainment, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, South Korea, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off

Caesars dips toe in skill-based slots; MGM National Harbor snares Dylan

Posted on September 12, 2016 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment is going on the road, as it were, to test-drive its first foray into skill-based slots. It’s going to install six Gamblit Gaming slot carousels at Harrah’s Rincon, with 36 slated for Las Vegas deployment next year. The … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Colorado, Cordish Co., Downtown, Environment, Golden Gaming, Harrah's, Hooters, IGT, Internet gambling, Kansas, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, South Dakota, Sports, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV, West Virginia, Westgate LV, Wisconsin | 2 Comments

Win for Wynn; Russia’s Donald Trump

Posted on September 1, 2016 by David McKee

So maybe Wynn Palace made a difference, after all. Macao gambling revenue, which analysts expected to be anywhere from 1% up to 3% down last month, actually grew 1%. (Kudos to those analysts who bet the house would win.) With Sands … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, California, Donald Trump, Florida, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, IGT, International, Japan, Law enforcement, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off

Steve Wynn cuts room rates; What kind of slot would you play?

Posted on August 4, 2016 by David McKee

Wynn Palace is still a few weeks away from opening but it’s already sending mixed signals, in terms of its room rates. Midweek, rooms are listing for $243, down from $256 a night. However, Saturday-night rates have been boosted from … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, IGT, Macau, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Technology, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Trump: How to make out like a bandit; Big plans for Station

Posted on June 13, 2016 by David McKee

To give the devil his due, if you visit Trump Taj Mahal and are dismayed because “carpets are frayed and dust-coated chandeliers dangle above the few customers there to play the penny slot machines,” you are not entirely witnessing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Harrah's, IGT, MTR Gaming, Palms, Regulation, Riviera, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Transportation, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Mad slot skillz; Tribes at war with one another

Posted on October 12, 2015 by David McKee

Skill-based slot games are a long way from deployment but that didn’t discourage The Motley Fool‘s Jeff Hwang from scouting the Global Gaming Expo show floor in search of entertaining product. The games he saw the greatest potential in were … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Economy, G2E, IGT, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Scientific Games, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off