Category Archives: International

Too much, too soon in the East?; The DFS doctor is in

Posted on September 26, 2019 by David McKee

At last, someone is expressing skepticism over the pie-in-the-sky attitude U.S. gaming companies exude toward the Pacific Rim. The inescapable Sheldon Adelson said “ten Las Vegases” would not sate demand, But Union Gaming analysts Grant Govertsen and John DeCree think that … Continue reading →

Posted in China, CityCenter, DFS, Economy, International, Japan, Lawrence Ho, MGM Resorts International, Sports, Sports betting, Wall Street | Comments Off on Too much, too soon in the East?; The DFS doctor is in

Like a Virgin: Mohegan Sun comes to Vegas

Posted on September 17, 2019 by David McKee

It’s official: Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment will be the casino manager of Virgin Hotel Las Vegas. “Aligning the MGE brand with Virgin Hotels Las Vegas extends our growing reach into yet another legendary global entertainment capital. Together with Virgin Hotels, experience seekers all … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Culinary Union, Election, Entertainment, Genting, Hard Rock Hotel, Hard Rock International, International, Mohegan Sun, Problem gambling, Security, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, TV | 1 Comment

Near-ideal month in Atlantic City

Posted on September 16, 2019 by David McKee

Atlantic City casinos were, despite an extra weekend day in August, up only 6%. But, more importantly, all except one either stood their ground or grew business. They grossed $286.5 million, with symmetrical increases in slot and table revenue. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, China, Detroit, Donald Trump, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Full House Resorts, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Ohio, Palms, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Maryland good, Illinois becalmed, MGM furious

Posted on September 9, 2019 by David McKee

Maryland‘s casino industry showed continued health last month, up 5.5%. MGM National Harbor had 40.5% of market share while Maryland Live corralled 34.5% of trade. MGM grossed $62.5 million, with low-tax table games up 10% as opposed to only 4% … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Connecticut, Cordish Co., Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Illinois, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Lotteries, Macau, Maryland, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Slot routes, South Dakota, Sports, Wall Street, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Furor in Illinois; ‘Carmageddon’ in New Jersey

Posted on September 5, 2019 by David McKee

Charles DeGaulle was famous as The Man Who Said No. That nickname may have to be reassigned to Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen. His decision not to seek racino status for Arlington International Racecourse has set the Illinois gaming industry and … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Horseracing, Illinois, International, Marijuana, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Politics, Racinos, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

This just in …

Posted on September 4, 2019 by David McKee

Osaka and Tokyo are the world’s fourth- and seventh-most livable cities according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. (Tops is Vienna.) This is great news for casino companies like Las Vegas Sands and MGM Resorts International that want to set up … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Economy, International, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, New York, Singapore | Comments Off on This just in …

Case Bets

Posted on August 23, 2019 by David McKee

Despite the tepid attitude of Tokyo leadership, Las Vegas Sands has settled on it and Yokohama as its destinations of preference in Japan. Which leaves Osaka out in the cold (although it is not lacking for suitors). Sands lost no time … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Diversity, Galaxy Entertainment, Hooters, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Philippines, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Resort fees likely to worsen; Fertitta preaches caution

Posted on August 22, 2019 by David McKee

All hail Terry Caudill. His Four Queens is one of the very few hotel-casinos in Las Vegas to eschew resort fees. At least that’s what the Reno Gazette-Journal tells us. The RGJ took a deep dive into the resort-fee issue … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Downtown, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Full House Resorts, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Laughlin, Law enforcement, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Resort fees, Sports, Sports betting, Terry Caudill, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Sheldon’s Sphere inflating; Nevada not keeping up with the times

Posted on August 22, 2019 by David McKee

Madison Square Garden is confronting a major cost overrun on its spherical event center near Venelazzo, meant to—among other things—aggrandize the ego of Sheldon Adelson. Shares of MSG were sent staggering by the revelation that the $1.2 billion cost had … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New Jersey, Philippines, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Sheldon’s Sphere inflating; Nevada not keeping up with the times

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 18, 2019 by David McKee

“The U.S., in short, has better reasons to covet Greenland than [Donald] Trump’s vanity or all the golf courses he could build there as the ice melts.”—Bloomberg columnist Leonid Bershidsky on why (in historical context) buying Greenland isn’t as wacky an … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, International | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Canaries in the coal mine, casinos in the slums

Posted on August 14, 2019 by David McKee

Stocks nose-dived yesterday after “an odd bond market phenomenon that has been a reliable indicator of economic recessions. Investors, worried about the state of the economy, rushed to long-term safe haven assets, pushing the yield on the benchmark 30-year Treasury bond … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Greenwood Racing, Illinois, International, Iowa, Law enforcement, Macau, Massachusetts, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Taxes, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Rowdy night in Boston; Stitt’s standoff

Posted on August 13, 2019 by David McKee

All hell broke loose at Encore Boston Harbor in the wee hours of Monday morning. The first brawl broke out as nightclub patrons were leaving Mémoire. It was so bad that police had to call in backup. According to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Election, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Philippines, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Gambling’s Wild Wild East; Wynn minimizes Hong Kong unrest

Posted on August 13, 2019 by David McKee

China is calling for the Philippines to crack down on its gambling industry, which Beijing considers a lawless enterprise, rife with human trafficking and worse. “It said citizens’ rights were being violated and dozens were kidnapped, tortured and physically abused … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Crown Resorts, Florida, International, Law enforcement, Macau, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Philippines, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Gambling’s Wild Wild East; Wynn minimizes Hong Kong unrest

Rock the casbah; The risks of Japan

Posted on August 9, 2019 by David McKee

Although Israel continues to outlaw casinos, undoubtedly to Sheldon Adelson‘s deep regret, the Middle East is pustulent with gaming houses. Yes, the Koran forbids it but that’s hardly stopping anyone. Egypt stands out with roughly 15 casinos, supposedly off-limits to … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Genting, GLPI, Illinois, Indiana, International, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Movies, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Maryland just fine; Next stop, Hartford?

Posted on August 7, 2019 by David McKee

Gaming revenues were up 2% last month in Maryland, good for $149 million. $61 million of that was won by MGM National Harbor (+4%). Market share was dominated by MGM (41%) and Maryland Live (33%). The Cordish Gaming property grossed $49 … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Connecticut, Cordish Co., Cretins, Crown Resorts, e-sports, Foxwoods, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Sports betting, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Maryland just fine; Next stop, Hartford?

MGM stymied Down East; Trade war dings Macao

Posted on August 5, 2019 by David McKee

Hopes for MGM Resorts International in Connecticut may be fading now that lawmakers are proposing a tribally owned casino in Bridgeport, part of an omnibus gaming expansion. The bipartisan Connecticut Jobs & Revenue Act would authorize a casino in Bridgeport owned by … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Connecticut, Downtown, Foxwoods, Golden Gaming, International, Internet gambling, Lotteries, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Money laundering, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sports betting, Tamares Group, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on MGM stymied Down East; Trade war dings Macao

Tribes brush off Stitt; MGM riles Jewish community

Posted on July 29, 2019 by David McKee

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt‘s proposal to levy higher exclusivity fees on the Sooner State’s 134 tribal casinos continues to go over like a lead balloon. The guv finds himself in receipt of a letter from all of the state’s gaming-enabled … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, California, history, International, Macau, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Oklahoma, Phil Ruffin, Sports, The Strip, Transportation, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on July 24, 2019 by David McKee

“The terrible art of the candidate is to coddle the self-deception of the stooge.”—new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Posted in International, Politics | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Atlantic City: It’s not just for daytrippers anymore

Posted on July 24, 2019 by David McKee

In an in-depth feature, the New York Times comes to the Boardwalk not to scorn but to celebrate Atlantic City and what it truly has to offer. How so? Consider that of twelve principal stops, only one (Ocean Casino Resort) … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, Hard Rock International, International, New York, Ocean Resort, Seminole Tribe, Sports betting, Taxes, Tourism, Tribal | 2 Comments

One city to rule them all; “Cats” is coming for you

Posted on July 23, 2019 by David McKee

Can you believe that San José, Costa Rica is the seventh-best place to gamble? It might the best casino town of which you’ve never heard, with 30 casinos and “a quite attractive exchange rate.” That’s the conclusion of a TravelTrivia.com … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, International, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Macau, Movies, North Carolina, Problem gambling, Reno, Singapore, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off on One city to rule them all; “Cats” is coming for you