Category Archives: Internet gambling

Adelson push stuck in the mud?; Alabama wants gambling

Posted on July 31, 2015 by David McKee

Tireless blogger Steve Ruddock contends that we have good reason to be optimistic about the fate of Sheldon Adelson‘s fatwa against Internet gambling. For starters, there’s the sheer slothfulness of Congress itself: How many times has it promised, say, comprehensive … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, California, Churchill Downs, Cosmopolitan, Election, Georgia, Internet gambling, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Baccarat blowout on Strip; Ader strikes again

Posted on July 28, 2015 by David McKee

Strip casinos had the impossible task of keeping up with last June’s baccarat tally (when revenues shot up 155%) and, as might be expected, fell off the pace. The volume of play plunged 43% and revenue tumbled 57%. As for … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Entertainment, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, Planet Hollywood, Reno, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Shocker in Massachusetts; Successes and setbacks for Penn

Posted on July 27, 2015 by David McKee

In a stunning reversal of fortune, KG Urban Enterprises has ditched its $650 million New Bedford casino project, citing financial difficulties. This ends seven years of grinding effort to gain civic acceptance, which culminated in a landslide electoral victory earlier … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Environment, Florida, Foxwoods, GLPI, Illinois, Internet gambling, Maine, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Scientific Games, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Sheldon Adelson, spymaster?

Posted on July 22, 2015 by David McKee

So Sands China did have a “blackmail strategy” after all … in the eyes of the Chinese government, that is. According to a report commissioned by Sands and marked eyes-only for Sands China CEO Steven Jacobs, “Many of the officials we … Continue reading →

Posted in Internet gambling, Macau, Politics, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off

SLS: The news just gets worse

Posted on July 17, 2015 by David McKee

Despite SLS Las Vegas having lost $183 million in its first eight months of operation, against pitiful revenues of $88 million, President Scott Kreeger insists that owner Stockbridge Capital is in it for the long haul. It has to be, Sam … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Entertainment, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Politics, Racinos, Revel, Sam Nazarian, SLS Las Vegas, Station Casinos, Taxes, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Web wagers boost Atlantic City

Posted on July 14, 2015 by David McKee

It was more of the same for Atlantic City last month. Overall gambling revenue slid 9.5%, even as surviving operators experienced individual increases. The headline item is that Internet gaming grew 23%, bringing in almost $12 million. Borgata dominated that … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Mohegan Sun, Revel, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts | Comments Off

White knight for Caesars?; Missing the Blarney Stone

Posted on July 10, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Entertainment may have to cede more equity in Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. in order to get junior creditors behind a Chapter 11 restructuring. A Paulson & Co. initiative reportedly aims to do exactly that. In tandem with Canyon Partners and … Continue reading →

Posted in Dan Gilbert, Derek Stevens, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Sports, Wall Street | Comments Off

Stale fare for New York; Web sites taken hostage

Posted on July 7, 2015 by David McKee

New York gaming regulators gave the state’s southern tier a second chance to submit plans for a casino — and they got leftovers. The only bidder was Tioga Downs owner Jeff Gural (left) who essentially proposed a supersized, $145 million version … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Cordish Co., Entertainment, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Racinos, Regulation, Technology, Tribal | 1 Comment

MGM goes to Atlanta; Pechanga named #1

Posted on July 2, 2015 by David McKee

Instead of waiting for an incremental creep of acceptance of gambling in Georgia, MGM Resorts International is taking the bull by the horns. While it says that it is in the “very preliminary” stages of proposing a casino for Atlanta, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, California, Economy, Foxwoods, Georgia, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Indiana, Internet gambling, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off

Pushback against Adelson; Packer’s pretension

Posted on June 29, 2015 by David McKee

“Poker is an all-American game. It’s a game that I learned as a teen and continue to play today. Just like millions of other players I enjoy the strategy and skill involved.” So said Rep. Joe Barton (R) as he introduced … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Australia, California, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Lawrence Ho, Macau, PokerStars, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, The Strip, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

Adelson’s minions do his bidding; Seminoles lose patience

Posted on June 26, 2015 by David McKee

Two presidential aspirants, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R) and Marco Rubio (R), joined forces with a gaggle of other senators in reintroducing “Restoration of America’s Wire Act,” Sheldon Adelson‘s pet vehicle for keeping his competitors out of Internet gambling. Among those … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Harrah's, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Technology, The Mob, Tribal | Comments Off

Atlantic City fights back; Packer a good bet again

Posted on June 23, 2015 by David McKee

After seemingly being in shock from the stampede to put casinos in northern New Jersey, civic leaders of Atlantic City are starting to put up a fight. The terms of battle vary, with some dead-set against a breaking of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, New York, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Kirk Kerkorian, 1917-2015

Posted on June 17, 2015 by David McKee

Here in Las Vegas, the impact of Kirk Kerkorian‘s death is still sinking in. A man known for self-effacing personal habits left the world as discreetly as he passed through it in his Ford Taurus, leaving accomplishments that far exceeded … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Downtown, Harry Reid, history, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Neil Bluhm, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Slot routes, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Mixed news from Atlantic City; More silliness from Trump

Posted on June 17, 2015 by David McKee

Atlantic City continued its paradoxical ways last month. The market as a whole suffered another big decline, down 10%. However, for individual operators, May was mostly good, with a same-store gain of 4%. (To see the blended impact of Internet … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Donald Trump, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Mohegan Sun, Scientific Games, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, Trump Entertainment Resorts, TV, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Heavy online interest in Pennsylvania; New twist in Jersey expansion

Posted on June 10, 2015 by David McKee

Caesars Interactive sent Michael Cohen to Harrisburg, to educate Pennsylvania lawmakers in online gambling and demonstrate the safety features whereby underage players can be thwarted. Cohen’s presentation pleased lawmakers on both sides of the aisle but drew a squawk of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson | Comments Off

Case Bets: Club Fortune, NFL, PokerStars

Posted on June 10, 2015 by David McKee

“Loose sluts!”, cries the grandmotherly-looking woman at 00:13 in this Club Fortune Casino commercial (so bad it never gets old). Those days may soon be over once Nevada Gold‘s purchase of Club Fortune closes. Having obtained the property for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Geoff Freeman, Internet gambling, PokerStars, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports | Comments Off

Straub puts Revel back in play; Hard Rock heads for Meadowlands

Posted on June 5, 2015 by David McKee

Glenn Straub‘s helter-skelter regime at Revel will continue at least a while more. He’s talking about reopening the HQ nightclub in July and evicting ACR Energy Partners from Revel’s power plant, getting one monkey off his back. He did and … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock Hotel, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Revel, Tourism, Tribal, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

Smooth sailing in Illinois, Iowa; Bad legislative bet

Posted on June 5, 2015 by David McKee

Just when Illinois casinos are trying to stave off another expansion of gambling, May brought a most inconvenient uptick in gambling revenues, albeit only half a percentage point, which can presumably be accounted for by the fact that this May had … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sports, Taxes, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | Comments Off

Kansas gets down to brass tacks; Lindsey Graham, man of mystery

Posted on June 2, 2015 by David McKee

After years of waiting, the fate of Kansas‘ seemingly unwanted fourth casino license, long in abeyance came down to three-and-a-half hours of presentations by a trio of rival bidders. The Kansas Lottery Gaming Facilities Review Board will make its choice by … Continue reading →

Posted in Internet gambling, Kansas, New York, Palms, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Tribal, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

Christie vs. Sweeney; Straub out of A.C.?

Posted on June 2, 2015 by David McKee

A bill introduced in the New Jersey Legislature sets up a proxy fight between Gov. Chris Christie (R) and state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) over the timing of when Garden State voters will be called upon to decide Atlantic … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Dennis Gomes, Donald Trump, Election, Glenn Straub, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Pennsylvania, Politics, Revel, Steve Wynn, Taxes | Comments Off