Category Archives: North Carolina

Bailout for Tilman; Casinos to the Big Apple; Mega-Jottings

Posted on February 2, 2021 by David McKee

It was a $6.6 billion rescue package that Golden Nugget CEO Tilman Fertitta received, in the form of a merger with FAST Acquisition. Fertitta’s been hard up for cash and forks over a portion of his casino empire in return … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Colorado, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Full House Resorts, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Marketing, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Racinos, Real Estate, Regulation, Sports betting, Tamares Group, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Bailout for Tilman; Casinos to the Big Apple; Mega-Jottings

Flynt winning in California; Caesars S.I. to Cherokee?

Posted on January 18, 2021 by David McKee

Larry Flynt continues to be the de facto leader of California‘s card room industry. He’s fighting in court against a Golden State law that prevents card room owners from holding stakes in out-of-state casinos. (Flynt in Las Vegas? Imagine!) When … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, California, Card rooms, Cordish Co., Indiana, Macau, MGM Resorts International, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Park MGM re-closes; Gaming’s 2020 mandate

Posted on November 4, 2020 by David McKee

No, it’s got nothing to do with the smoking ban. Well, maybe. MGM Resorts International, as we mentioned yesterday, has decided it has too much hotel-room inventory going to waste on the Las Vegas Strip. As part of an austerity … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Dining, Economy, Election, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Maryland rebounds; Penn wows Wall Street; Trump to play Lucky Dragon

Posted on August 6, 2020 by David McKee

In a near-miraculous development, Maryland gambling revenues were only 6% off the pace last month. Between cabin fever and the belated delivery of those $1,200 stimulus checks, we’re not entirely surprised that Free State punters had both the desire and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Arizona, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Donald Trump, Election, Florida, Georgia, Golden Gaming, Health, Internet gambling, Lotteries, Lucky Dragon, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sports, Sports betting, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, TV, Wall Street, West Virginia | 2 Comments

It’s Coronavirus’ world, we just live in it

Posted on July 28, 2020 by David McKee

Some days it just doesn’t pay to be Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R). He’s lost authority over the eastern half of the Sooner State. How? The U.S. Supreme Court—hardly a hotbed of bleeding-heart liberals—ruled that historical claims by the Muscogee … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Election, Health, Internet gambling, Iowa, Marketing, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Politics, Racinos, South Carolina, Sports betting, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on It’s Coronavirus’ world, we just live in it

Barrack screws up (again); Boyd reopens … somewhat

Posted on May 12, 2020 by David McKee

Colony Capital CEO Tom Barrack is back in the news and, as usual, not in a good way. His REIT has defaulted on $3.2 billion in loans secured by 157 hotel and healthcare properties. That’s three-quarters of his holdings. Prior to … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Colony Capital, Downtown, Economy, Health, history, North Carolina, Penn National, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 4 Comments

Tough times return to Atlantic City; KY Derby delayed

Posted on March 18, 2020 by David McKee

As we saw earlier today, Las Vegas and Reno are pretty badly screwed for at least the next month. What about perennial problem child/comeback kid Atlantic City? Just when it’s back on its feet and roaring again, along comes Coronavirus … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, California, Dining, Economy, Election, Health, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Macau, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, New York, North Carolina, Regulation, South Carolina, Sports betting, Taxes, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Tribal, TV, Wall Street, Washington State | Comments Off on Tough times return to Atlantic City; KY Derby delayed

Japan scandal grows; Caesars slammed

Posted on January 6, 2020 by David McKee

Japan‘s 500.com bribery case continues to spread. An additional five Nipponese lawmakers have been implicated, accused of taking $9,249. The notion that Japanese solons would sell their souls for such chump change indicates how desperately they want to get in on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Columbia Sussex, Dining, Eldorado Resorts, Illinois, Indiana, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Law enforcement, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, North Carolina, Politics, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip | 3 Comments

Scientific fluent in Chinese; William Hill seeks new horizons

Posted on November 25, 2019 by David McKee

It’s not just for China anymore. Scientific Games is reporting success with its Chinese-themed slots, including in North America. Yes, games with titles like Jin Ji Bao Xi, which doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue but is gaining traction with slot players worldwide. “If … Continue reading →

Posted in Cantor Gaming, China, Economy, Environment, Florida, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Movies, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Regulation, Scientific Games, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, Technology, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Virginia, William Hill | Comments Off on Scientific fluent in Chinese; William Hill seeks new horizons

Sands: Waiting for Japan; I-gaming raids hit Singapore, Vietnam

Posted on August 1, 2019 by David McKee

It’s difficult to imagine investors being impatient with Las Vegas Sands but The Motley Fool‘s Travis Hoium suggests that they are. “Unless a new market like Japan hits, that cash flow machine is all Las Vegas Sands has to offer,” … Continue reading →

Posted in Horseracing, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Macau, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pets, Singapore, Sports betting, Vietnam, Wall Street | Comments Off on Sands: Waiting for Japan; I-gaming raids hit Singapore, Vietnam

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

Lackluster in Louisiana; OK tribes stiff-arm Stitt

Posted on July 22, 2019 by David McKee

Whatever people in Louisiana were doing last month, gambling wasn’t it. Casino receipts were down 9% and you can’t blame it on the smoking ban in Baton Rouge (-13%), not when Lake Charles—the best market in the state—was nearly 10% … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Greenwood Racing, Internet gambling, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | Comments Off on Lackluster in Louisiana; OK tribes stiff-arm Stitt

Anxiety over Japan; Profit squeeze in Atlantic City

Posted on May 28, 2019 by David McKee

Think Japan‘s going to have casinos open in time for the 2025 World Expo? Think again. Shinzo Abe‘s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is postponing the regulations governing casino bidding until after next year’s elections. That’s bad news for Osaka, in particular, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, North Carolina, Ocean Resort, Politics, Sports betting, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Ruffin’s move

Posted on May 14, 2019 by David McKee

Phil Ruffin is in the hunt for Caesars Entertainment … well, sort of. He said he’s interested in individual Las Vegas Strip properties, clearly anticipating some kind of sell-down to deleverage an Eldorado Resorts or Tilman Fertitta acquisition of the … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Arkansas, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, Law enforcement, North Carolina, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Westgate LV | 1 Comment

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?

Louisiana chokes on smoking ban; Graham’s conversion

Posted on March 22, 2019 by David McKee

Gaming revenues were down 4% last month in Louisiana, mainly dragged under by the Baton Rouge market, plummeting 19%. Since the imposition of a smoking ban in Red Stick, casinos’ business has been 17% lower, a business catastrophe. Belle of … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, history, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, South Carolina, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, William Hill | Comments Off on Louisiana chokes on smoking ban; Graham’s conversion