Category Archives: Marketing

Squeezed in Schenectady; Seminoles step up

Posted on September 10, 2019 by David McKee

One of the goofs New York State made when authorizing upstate casinos was not to establish a level playing field of taxation. Rivers Casino Schenectady is hardest hit, paying 45% on its slot revenues and it’s finally decided to ask … Continue reading →

Posted in Charity, Economy, Las Vegas Sands, Lawrence Ho, Marketing, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, New York, Rush Street Gaming, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Taxes, The Strip | Comments Off on Squeezed in Schenectady; Seminoles step up

Less profit in Atlantic City; New boss in Macao

Posted on August 26, 2019 by David McKee

To no one’s great surprise, it was less profitable to operate a casino in Atlantic City during 2019. Some, like Hard Rock Atlantic City (surprisingly) lost money, then turned profitable. Others, like Resorts Atlantic City, were just making ends meet. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Iowa, Macau, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Politics, Sports betting, Tilman Fertitta | 2 Comments

Encore vanquishing competition; Newcomers dominate Atlantic City

Posted on August 19, 2019 by David McKee

Encore Boston Harbor, the best-smelling casino on the East Coast, had a crushing month, its first full one of operation. Its $48.5 million in revenue accounted for 60% of all Massachusetts gaming revenues. That breaks down as almost $1.6 million/day … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Connecticut, Detroit, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

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

Hooters out, Oyo in?; Crown in hot water

Posted on August 5, 2019 by David McKee

Hooters Hotel Casino, the brand that should have worked in Las Vegas but didn’t, may finally be on the way out. VitalVegas reports that hotelier Highgate may be rechristening Hooters with its Oyo brand. Highgate already operates hotels in the … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Australia, Crown Resorts, Detroit, Diversity, Environment, Hooters, Illinois, James Packer, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Money laundering, Paragon Gaming, Penn National, South Carolina, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip | 2 Comments

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 5, 2019 by David McKee

“Chinese tourists are a high-spending source market and their visitation numbers to the US have been growing rapidly in recent years.”—from a GlobalData report on the expansion of the China-driven, luxury-hotel market in the U.S., music to Las Vegas‘ ears.

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

Vegas gets first tribal casino

Posted on June 26, 2019 by David McKee

My doctor says it behooves me to take it easy, so that can mean only one thing … news briefs! If you were waiting for Native American tribes to put down roots in Las Vegas, wait no longer. Virgin Hotels … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Animals, Arizona, Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Entertainment, Florida, Hard Rock Hotel, Law enforcement, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Sahara, SLS Las Vegas, Sports, Tamares Group, The Strip, Transportation | Comments Off on Vegas gets first tribal casino

Eldorado’s clearance sale; Atlantic City takes the lead

Posted on June 17, 2019 by David McKee

Eldorado Resorts may be getting closer to a Caesars Entertainment acquisition (accounts differ) but it’s already clearing the decks for a big expenditure. It just offloaded three casinos to—irony alert—Caesars’ Vici Properties for $385 million. The trio is Mountaineer Casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Cordish Co., Eldorado Resorts, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Louisiana, Marketing, Michael Gaughan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Pets, Regulation, Sports betting, Unite-Here, Wall Street, West Virginia | 2 Comments

Wire Act reversal reversed; China scare for Las Vegas

Posted on June 10, 2019 by David McKee

A federal judge dealt a major defeat to the Justice Department in its efforts to reinterpret the Federal Wire Act as a ban on Internet gambling. Nope, only sports betting ruled Judge Paul Barbadoro. The ruling is a boon to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Florida, Hard Rock International, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Lotteries, Marketing, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Palms, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Tourism, Tribal, Unite-Here, Wall Street, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Wire Act reversal reversed; China scare for Las Vegas

Tribe trumps Trump; Rockford pleads for casino

Posted on May 20, 2019 by David McKee

Despite being thrown off the fast-track legislative calendar by a blast of hot air from Donald Trump, a bill to restore land-in-trust status to the Mashpee Wampanoags has sailed through the House of Representatives, 257-146 in a bipartisan win. “Without support … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Caesars Entertainment, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Genting, Illinois, Indiana, Law enforcement, Marketing, Massachusetts, Nevada, Technology, Tribal, Unite-Here, Wisconsin | 2 Comments

Snakes in a casino & other Case Bets

Posted on May 16, 2019 by David McKee

Well, I’m never setting foot in Binion’s Gambling Hall again. A butt-ugly (but evidently non-poisonous) snake got in and made itself comfy in the roulette wheel. Security merely escorted the reptile inside, so there’s no telling whether there will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Environment, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Nevada, Problem gambling, Real Estate, Technology, Transportation | Comments Off on Snakes in a casino & other Case Bets

Putting problem gaming on notice; Station has a hit

Posted on May 1, 2019 by David McKee

“Whilst the vast majority of our customers enjoy our products responsibly, it is high time that the industry did more to protect its customers from potential harm.” Thus spake GVC CEO Kenny Alexander in a dramatic change of policy. Along … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Connecticut, Foxwoods, Horseracing, International, Kazuo Okada, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Palms, Philippines, Problem gambling, Sports, Station Casinos, TV, Wall Street, William Hill | Comments Off on Putting problem gaming on notice; Station has a hit

Cosmopolitan on the block (again)

Posted on April 18, 2019 by David McKee

Blackstone Group‘s tenure at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will be remarkably brief (although nothing in the gaming industry will ever match the extreme brevity of the abortive Wynn Resorts/Crown Resorts merger). Bloomberg reports that Blackstone is exploring “strategic options” … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, Cosmopolitan, Downtown, history, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Marketing, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Sports betting, Tamares Group, The Strip, TV, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Cosmopolitan on the block (again)

Rosenstein rebutted; Kiddie slots in U.K.

Posted on April 15, 2019 by David McKee

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein received a smackdown from a federal court. Judge Paul Barbadoro ruled that not only had Rosenstein failed to convince him that New Hampshire‘s online lottery wasn’t covered under the new interpretation of the Federal Wire … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bruce Deifik, Dining, e-sports, Georgia, Glenn Straub, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Problem gambling, Puerto Rico, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Taxes, Texas | Comments Off on Rosenstein rebutted; Kiddie slots in U.K.

The Legend of Ted’s Treasure; Slot routes in Missouri?

Posted on April 12, 2019 by David McKee

Ted Binion is long since dead and buried. So, legend has it, is his treasure. Binion’s corpse wasn’t even cold before sleazy Rick Tabish was caught digging up the casino heir’s silver vault in scenic Pahrump (a sheriff’s deputy discovered … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cretins, history, Marketing, Missouri, North Carolina, Ocean Resort, Pahrump, Penn National, Politics, Slot routes, Sports betting, Tribal | Comments Off on The Legend of Ted’s Treasure; Slot routes in Missouri?

Steve Wynn 86’d; Icahn & Fertitta talk turkey

Posted on April 11, 2019 by David McKee

In an obvious attempt to placate the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, after a bruising set of hearings, Wynn Resorts has filed a legal brief in the Bay State, requesting permission to bar Steve Wynn from all Wynn Resorts properties. This is, in our … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Dining, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Gilbert sells to Hard Rock; Masters odds are out

Posted on April 8, 2019 by David McKee

Hard Rock International exited the Ohio market by one door, then reentered it by another. The tribal giant bought Dan Gilbert out of Jack Cincinnati and Turfway Park. REIT Vici Propreties will own the real estate of the casino and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Caesars Entertainment, DFS, Donald Trump, Genting, Hard Rock International, International, Iowa, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Marketing, Maryland, Ohio, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Tribal, TV | Comments Off on Gilbert sells to Hard Rock; Masters odds are out

Run for the roses; Friends of Dorothy

Posted on March 28, 2019 by David McKee

I’ve got a horse right here, his name is … no, not Paul Revere but Game Winner and he’s favored to win the annual run for the roses at Churchill Downs. At least that’s what Kentucky Derby Online Betting says. KDOB … Continue reading →

Posted in Churchill Downs, Current, Entertainment, Horseracing, Marketing, Mohegan Sun, Movies, Palms, Regulation, Station Casinos, Technology, Tribal | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 22, 2019 by David McKee

“The day the Cardinals show up with Bayer/Monsanto patches (or any others of that ilk) is the day I stop watching baseball.” — my mother, a lifelong baseball fan, on the news that the Oakland Athletics were wearing MGM Resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Marketing | Comments Off on Quote of the Day