Category Archives: Marijuana

Maryland droops; Boardwalk bulletin; Barstool blunder

Mr. & Mrs. America’s torrid, post-pandemic love affair with casino gambling is finally cooling. It’s not cause for alarm, as we knew this was coming—in fact, it was expected to happen much sooner. And while players are dropping less at … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., DraftKings, Fanatics, Full House Resorts, Golden Gaming, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Health, Illinois, LVCVA, Marijuana, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, West Virginia | 5 Comments

Mob merriment; Golden Nugget woes

What the hell were you thinking, Bally’s Corp.? The company’s struggling Atlantic City casino recently hosted a meet-and-greet featuring mobster Gianni Russo. Our Boardwalk correspondent, who was there, says Russo is “a lifelong member of the Mafia, who was in … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Boyd Gaming, Entertainment, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, history, Illinois, Louisiana, Marijuana, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Regulation, The Mob | 6 Comments

Atlantic City blues

Atlantic City‘s first casino, Resorts Atlantic City, celebrated the 45th anniversary of legalized gambling on the Boardwalk in rather limp fashion. Highlights included a beachball drop and an appearance by Mayor Marty Small (D). Well, we suppose he’s got to … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, China, Dining, Entertainment, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Law enforcement, Macau, Marijuana, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, The Strip, West Virginia | Comments Off on Atlantic City blues

Storm in Atlantic City; Big trouble for sports betting

All was not sunny at Borgata last weekend. Our Atlantic City correspondent writes, “When we were driving back to Borgata, heavy rain started. As we pulled into MGM valet intake the wind was getting stronger. The luggage carts were starting … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, California, Colorado, Cretins, Diversity, DraftKings, Entertainment, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, IGT, Illinois, International, Las Vegas Sands, Marijuana, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, New Jersey, Penn National, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Reno, Singapore, Sports betting, Tribal, Virginia | 2 Comments

Maryland dips; Boardwalk bulletin; Biden/BIA overreach

February was moderately unkind to Maryland casinos, which were down 3.5% from last year to reach $157 million. Top-grosser of course was MGM National Harbor, flat at $65.5 million. Reliable runner-up Maryland Live was close behind at $56 million, but … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dining, Failsinos, Florida, Golden Gaming, Golden Nugget, Horseracing, International, Internet gambling, Marijuana, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Nebraska, New York, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Security, The Strip, Tribal | 3 Comments

Sands impresses; Trump’s new Mob pal; Boardwalk blotter; Mega-Jottings

Wall Street was in a sunny mood this week after Las Vegas Sands‘ 4Q22 earnings presentation. As Credit Suisse analyst Ben Chaiken summarized, “two large takeaways in our view were strength in Singapore and what we felt was a positive … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Bally, Baseball, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, China, Colorado, Cretins, Derek Stevens, Dining, Donald Trump, Entertainment, FanDuel, Florida, history, IGT, Indiana, Iowa, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Marijuana, Marketing, Massachusetts, Movies, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Singapore, South Korea, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Technology, Texas, The Mob, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, TV, Vici Properties, Wall Street | 4 Comments

Chicago tips its hand; Wynn loses; Thunder Down Under

Would somebody clue in Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) that Neil Bluhm‘s Rush Street Gaming is no longer the majority owner of Rivers Casino Des Plaines? That honor goes to Churchill Downs. But Lightfoot is using Des Plaines as a … Continue reading

Posted in ABBA, Animals, Architecture, Australia, Bally, Boulder Strip, Caesars Entertainment, California, Chicago, Crown Resorts, Entertainment, Environment, Hard Rock International, Health, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Law enforcement, Macau, Marijuana, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Money laundering, Neil Bluhm, New York, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, Star Entertainment, Steve Wynn, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Super-spreader event at Caesars nixed; Mega-jottings

Caesars Entertainment must have decided it was poor optics to be hosting a convention of anti-vaxxers at brand-new Caesars Forum as Coronavirus cases spike. Or maybe it blanched at the potential deep-cleaning costs after the event. Either way, QAnon-espousing “Patriot … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Architecture, Arizona, Arkansas, Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Canada, Charity, Cirque du Soleil, Conventions, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, Dining, DraftKings, Entertainment, FanDuel, Foxwoods, Golden Nugget, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Health, Horseracing, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Raiders, M Resort, Marijuana, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, North Carolina, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Sahara, South Dakota, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Virginia, Wynn Resorts, Wyoming | 2 Comments

Merry month of May in Las Vegas; Beehive of activity in Atlantic City

May’s gaming revenues from Nevada are in and they are blockbuster. When the Strip is 26% higher than 2019 (winning $655.5 million) and locals play is 25% stronger it is fair to say the recovery has been achieved—and far sooner … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Connecticut, Cretins, Diversity, Downtown, Economy, Health, history, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Marijuana, Mesquite, Michael Gaughan, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sports betting, The Strip, Wendover | 4 Comments

Don’t make mine Manhattan

That’s the word from key legislators, who have made it clear that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) would be putting a casino in Manhattan over their dead bodies. “I believe it would be seriously detrimental to the residential and commercial quality … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Bally, BetMGM, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, FanDuel, Genting, Georgia, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Marijuana, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, New York, Politics, Regulation, Resort fees, Resorts World LV, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

High on the Strip

Hard by Planet Hollywood there’s a strip mall where you can get some egg rolls at Panda Express, satisfy a Big Mac Attack at McDonalds … and buy pre-rolled joints at the little boutique above. Legalized marijuana hasn’t infiltrated casinos … Continue reading

Posted in Current, Marijuana, Planet Hollywood, The Strip | 3 Comments

MGM “roaring back”; LV recovery accelerates

That’s what Credit Suisse analyst Ben Chaiken had to say about MGM Resorts International, citing strength in regional casinos, Las Vegas and sports betting (in that order). First-quarter cash flow exceeded 2019 levels, aided in part by “strong demand reaching … Continue reading

Posted in BetMGM, Charity, Colorado, Conventions, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Health, history, Macau, Marijuana, Marketing, Maryland, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Nevada, Resorts World LV, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 2 Comments

Vegas: green shoots galore; Seminoles saluted

Against all odds, it appears that Las Vegas‘ recovery is taking place faster than anticipated (save by a very few). A CNN feature is vaguely euphoric but it does cite several new must-see attractions. For the all-important convention business, which … Continue reading

Posted in Colorado, Derek Stevens, Economy, Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Louisiana, LVCVA, Marijuana, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Resorts World LV, Seminole Tribe, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tourism, Virgin Hotels | 5 Comments

Gaming stocks rejiggered; Smoke blown at AGA

No, we don’t mean the Reddit/GameStop scandal, which has everyone from Sen. Ted Cruz (R) to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) up in arms. Instead, we’re looking at a downgrade of revenue estimates for a slew of projections by JP Morgan … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Barstool Sports, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., DraftKings, Economy, Florida, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Health, Horseracing, Illinois, Internet gambling, Marijuana, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New Jersey, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, Scientific Games, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Tribal, Wall Street, William Hill | 1 Comment

Wynn, loopy attorney in legal feud; Philly goes Live

Steve Wynn is back in the news again. His former attorney, L. Lin Wood, is suing Wynn for alleged defamation, the ex-casino mogul supposedly having told Donald Trump that Wood was several fries short of a Happy Meal. The falling … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Connecticut, Conventions, Cordish Co., Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, FanDuel, Foxwoods, Health, IGT, International, Marijuana, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn | 2 Comments

Tribute to a bad man

Sheldon Adelson‘s Horatio Alger success story came to an abrupt end today, when the Boston Globe broke the news of his death from lymphoma at age 87. Adelson had a good run in the industry, longer than most, and his … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Alabama, Architecture, Conventions, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Election, Florida, Galaxy Entertainment, Health, history, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, LVCVA, Macau, Marijuana, Movies, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports betting, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Cuomo all-in on New York sports betting; Playoff fever begins

There’s nothing like a budgetary dose of Covid-19 to bring some people to reality. Case in point, New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D). He has been against mobile sports betting for years—much to the state’s detriment—but will embrace it … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, California, Churchill Downs, Donald Trump, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, history, Las Vegas Raiders, Marijuana, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, New York, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Tex Adelson rides again

Fresh from trying to afflict the country with another four years of Donald Trump, mega-mogul Sheldon Adelson is turning his eyes upon Texas. He’s readying a crack team of lobbyists, including Karen Rove, to descend upon the Lege when it … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Cosmopolitan, Economy, Election, Florida, Hard Rock International, Health, Horseracing, International, Japan, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Lotteries, Marijuana, New York, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Texas, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | 2 Comments

Crackdown in Vegas

Perhaps Las Vegas will not be the latest vector of Covid-19 after all. Having taken a wait-and-see attitude toward safety protocols during the shutdown, Caesars Entertainment was first out of the gate in cracking down on mask scofflaws. The company … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Downtown, El Cortez, Entertainment, Health, Marijuana, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Regulation | 1 Comment

Fauci on sports; Churchill Downs “on track”

Bad news, sports bettors. Given the absence of widespread testing for Coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci is backpedaling on his projections that professional sports could resume this year. (As Fauci has said elsewhere, a model is just a model; when you … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Baseball, Churchill Downs, Crown Resorts, Economy, GameCO, Health, International, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Lawrence Ho, Lotteries, Marijuana, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Scientific Games, Sports, Technology, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments