Category Archives: Ohio

Normality in Ohio, disaster in Illinois; Planet Ho sale mooted

Maybe the ‘skinny stimulus’ helped Ohio. Gross gaming revenues of $153.5 million were only 8.5% off last year’s pace. The gambling houses are still operating at 50% capacity and under a curfew but the number remains impressive. Hollywood Toledo continues … Continue reading

Posted in Alabama, Bally, Boyd Gaming, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Dining, DraftKings, Economy, Georgia, Hard Rock International, history, Illinois, Jack Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mattress Mack, MGM Resorts International, North Carolina, Ohio, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, South Dakota, Sports betting, Texas, The Strip, Transportation, TV, Virginia, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Welcome to Less Vegas

Caesars Entertainment, aka Eldorado Resorts, has become possessed by the evil spirit of spare-every-expense Columbia Sussex. In one of the most odious of recent cutpurse moves, bartenders have been ordered to short-pour liquor: The ‘new normal’ is .75 ounces per … Continue reading

Posted in Alabama, Arizona, Barstool Sports, Caesars Entertainment, California, Canada, Columbia Sussex, Connecticut, Conventions, Cretins, DraftKings, Election, FanDuel, Florida, Health, Kansas, Lotteries, Massachusetts, Maverick Gaming, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Penn National, PointsBet, Politics, Racinos, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, United Kingdom, Wall Street, Washington State | 1 Comment

Penn survives bad quarter; Summer gaming recover possible

Penn National Gaming reported 4Q20 earnings today and they were down 23% from last year. Many reasons were cited, including lower consumer spending, casino closures in Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania, and new restrictions in Ohio and Maine. Oh yes, and … Continue reading

Posted in Barstool Sports, Cretins, Dining, Health, Illinois, Indiana, LVCVA, Maine, Michigan, Movies, New Jersey, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sports, Sports betting | 2 Comments

Icahn saves Trump Dump; Disaster in Pennsylvania

Carl Icahn‘s abusive-codependent attachment to Trump Plaza knows no ends. In his latest gambit, the magnate has kiboshed the implosion of the ramshackle ex-casino that had been slated for sometime in February, by dint of obtaining a cease-and-desist order. Instead, … Continue reading

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Atlantic City, Barstool Sports, Boyd Gaming, Carl Icahn, Charity, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Donald Trump, Economy, FanDuel, Greenwood Racing, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Wall Street, Wendover, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Sports betting impresses in Iowa; Harness racing resumes

Sports betting in Iowa crossed the $100 million threshold in handle last month and that was without some key players like BetMGM, which launched earlier this month. Wagers are expected to vault now that Gov. Kim Reynolds‘ stay on mobile … Continue reading

Posted in Alabama, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, China, Cordish Co., Health, Iowa, MGM Resorts International, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sports betting, Tribal | 1 Comment

Half-a-loaf Cuomo; Ohio implosion

Cuomo giveth, Cuomo taketh away. After dropping hints of expansive sports betting in New York State, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) unveiled a proposal that was considerably less than ‘george.’ There will be one ‘skin’ and it will be answerable to … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Derek Stevens, Detroit, Downtown, Economy, Hard Rock International, MGM Resorts International, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Sports betting, The Rio, The Strip, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Palazzo closes; iGaming here to stay

There’s no room at the inn at Palazzo. Not permanently. But it’s not a good sign for a Las Vegas Strip whose room rates are bumping along the bottom, even during New Year’s Eve weekend. As Las Vegas Sands said, … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Barstool Sports, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Colorado, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, Health, Iowa, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, South Dakota, Sports, Sports betting, The Rio, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

End of the honeymoon; Virgin Hotel clings to virginity

Gaming revenue dropped last month in Maryland and precipitously so in Ohio, where the good times had really been rolling. Maryland’s $130.5 million gross represented a 7.5% dip, motivating JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff to write that “We note the … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Detroit, Economy, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Health, Las Vegas Raiders, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sports, Sports betting, Virgin Hotels, Wall Street, West Virginia | 1 Comment

Uneasy lies the head that wears Crown; IGT’s cautious future

Executives at Crown Resorts had better rethink that scheme to buy Sheldon Adelson‘s Las Vegas assets. The company, which has played fast and loose with money-laundering rules, has been provisionally denied permission to open its multibillion-dollar casino in Sydney. Regulators … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Cretins, Crown Resorts, Health, IGT, Las Vegas Sands, Lotteries, Money laundering, New Jersey, Ohio, Regulation, South Dakota, Sports betting, Taxes, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Cirque sacrifies “Zumanity”; Gaming recovery vs. Covid

Covid-19 has claimed its first Cirque du Soleil casualty. Zumanity has gone permanently dark at New York-New York. We’ll miss the sexually charged show, which logged 7,700 performances in 17 (!) years. “We’re grateful to the cast, crew and team … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Arkansas, California, Cirque du Soleil, Derek Stevens, Economy, Entertainment, Health, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Gaming slows across Midwest … except in Ohio

Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg must have dropped some extra-potent LSD before his last investor call. His comments were summarized by one auditor as, “When we get into a Post-COVID world Pent-Up demand you’re going to see for Gaming And … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Detroit, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Indiana, Las Vegas Raiders, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, Spectacle Entertainment, Sports, Sports betting, Twin River, West Virginia, William Hill | Comments Off on Gaming slows across Midwest … except in Ohio

Quote of the Day

“There’s no place to hide.”—Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) on Covid-19.

Posted in Current, Health, Ohio | 1 Comment

Ohio still strong; Internet saps brick-and-mortar casinos

Buckeye State casino revenues continue to trend upward, gaining 6% to finish at $164.5 million in win. Now that casinos are open in Detroit, it took some of the sheen off Hollywood Toledo, but not much. It was up 13.5% … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Dining, Downtown, Economy, Election, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, Sports betting, Tourism, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Ohio strong, Maryland stable, Illinois stinks

Buckeye State casinos continued their impressive run last month, up 5% to gross $172 million. This is Ohio‘s best-ever August, even with an unfavorable calendar (one less weekend day). Star performer was Hollywood Toledo, up 33% to $23 million. MGM … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Derek Stevens, DraftKings, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

New York game-changer; MGM sticks it to servers

What Jim Murren and Sheldon Adelson couldn’t do, New York state Sen. James Skoufis (D) just might. With four upstate casinos still closed and the state budget pummeled by the economic effects of Coronavirus, Skoufis is proposing that the state … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Economy, Election, Environment, Health, International, Jim Murren, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Unite-Here, Virginia | Comments Off on New York game-changer; MGM sticks it to servers

Holy Toledo!; Sigma Derby needs you

Ohio casinos didn’t just outperform the Midwest during July, they had their best month ever. What gives? Well, Detroit was still off-limits (redounding to the considerable benefit of Hollywood Toledo) and discretionary capital was clearly plentiful. The four non-racinos hadn’t … Continue reading

Posted in California, Dan Gilbert, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, history, Marketing, North Las Vegas, Ohio, Penn National, Sigma Derby, Transportation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Indiana, Missouri, Ohio rebound, Illinois not so much

It was back to business as almost normal in Indiana last month. The Hoosier State was only 5.5% 0ff its July 2019 pace, grossing $171 million. (They’ve been open since June 15.) The relative novelty of table games—$5 million—at Indiana … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Century Casinos, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, DraftKings, FanDuel, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Indiana, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Sports betting | 1 Comment

Sahara misbehavior; Tilman Time; Culinary caves to Big Gaming

Alex Meruelo has new troubles. He’s in deep fertilizer with the Nevada Gaming Control Board over safety violations at the Sahara. Meruelo’s facing a two-part disciplinary complaint. In one instance, the Sahara hosted a 153-person convention when state rules explicitly … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Economy, Health, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Reno, Sahara, Sports, Station Casinos, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off on Sahara misbehavior; Tilman Time; Culinary caves to Big Gaming

MGM: The lion mews; AGA: Betrayal by Miller

Second-quarter results for MGM Resorts International are in and the company got hammered pretty badly. Las Vegas Strip revenues fell 90% to $151 million, regional operations dropped 90% to $89 million and Macao grossed a feeble $33 million, down 95%. … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Conventions, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, Downtown, Economy, Golden Nugget, Health, Horseracing, Illinois, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Real Estate, Sahara, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Las Vegas: The first shall be last

Don’t stay up late waiting for business in Las Vegas to return to “normal” levels. Sin City is uniquely vulnerable to downturns in the U.S. economy (think of the Great Recession) and a trailing indicator of gambling’s health. The prime … Continue reading

Posted in Alabama, Aristocrat, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, China, Conventions, Downtown, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, G2E, Hard Rock International, Health, Las Vegas Sands, LVCVA, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Ohio, Penn National, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment