Category Archives: Politics

California Lege mulls sports betting; Mega-Jottings

Gaming analysts may be getting a little ahead of themselves but they’re estimating that California could generate $30 billion a year in sports-betting handle, $2 billion in revenue and $300 million in taxes. That’d be pretty good news for a … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Downtown, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, International, Lotteries, New Jersey, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Twin River | 2 Comments

Unrest on the Strip; Boyd tightens belt

Maybe Coronavirus can’t keep people away from Las Vegas but we think we’ve found one thing that will: civil unrest. A pair of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporters found themselves in the line of fire when Las Vegas Metro launched a … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Downtown, Economy, Indiana, Ohio, Politics, The Strip | 2 Comments

Riverboat casino scuttled; Station: Palms not for sale

Chalk up Nevada‘s second casino casualty to the Coronavirus pandemic. The Colorado Belle in Laughlin terminated its 400 employees and said it would not be reopening when Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) gives the go-ahead for resumption of play, expected to … Continue reading

Posted in Culinary Union, Dining, Economy, Florida, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Health, Laughlin, Louisiana, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Palms, Penn National, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Boyd comes clean; Penn Nat’l “upbeat”

“Boyd Clean” has been unveiled by eponymous Boyd Gaming and while nothing in it will come as a shock, it shows the company has been closely following what other companies are doing in terms of safety precautions. You’ll receive a … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Economy, FanDuel, Health, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Resort fees, Sports betting, Wall Street | Comments Off on Boyd comes clean; Penn Nat’l “upbeat”

“Green shoots” in gaming; Mega-Jottings

According to the American Gaming Association, 82 of 989 casinos in the United States have reopened, many of them in Louisiana starting today. But don’t take our word for it. Use the AGA’s Coronavirus tracker, which keeps you abreast of casino … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Conventions, Detroit, Dining, GLPI, Golden Nugget, Health, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, LVCVA, M Resort, Macau, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Penn National, Politics, Resort fees, Singapore, South Dakota, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

July resumption for Mass casinos; Room rates rebound

Casinos in Massachusetts now know when they can reopen … more or less. Gov. Charlie Baker (R) has laid out of one of the toughest reopening regimens in the U.S. It will proceed in four phases, each phase—beginning today—lasting three weeks. … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, California, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Oscar Goodman, Penn National, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on July resumption for Mass casinos; Room rates rebound

Goodman batshit crazy; Detroit puts casinos on ‘hold’

Could we be seeing the last of Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman (I), and her ‘every man for himself and devil take the hindmost’ approach to Coronavirus? Poker pro Doug Polk has begun a recall petition drive to try and … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Detroit, Dining, Downtown, Eldorado Resorts, Health, Michigan, Politics, Sports, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Wall Street | 3 Comments

MGM: Survey says …; Odds favor Harris for VP

MGM Resorts International wants your opinion … well, some of you anyway. In a survey obtained by Scott Roeben of VitalVegas, Leo the Lion poses an array of questions to Platinum- and Noir-tier customers. As Roeben says, it reveals more than … Continue reading

Posted in Century Casinos, Colorado, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, FanDuel, Health, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, New York, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Wall Street | 3 Comments

Goodman vs. Sisolak, III; Good news for Virgin Hotel

It’s a good thing that stupidity is not contagious or the mayor of Las Vegas would be Patient Zero. Has Carolyn Goodman (I) been sneaking sips of her husband’s martinis? A seemingly inebriated

Posted in Culinary Union, Entertainment, Health, MGM Resorts International, Phil Ruffin, Politics, The Strip, Virgin Hotels, Wynn Resorts | 4 Comments

Case Bets

For decades, Pagcor has dabbled in both regulating and running casinos (imagine Caesars Entertainment having disciplinary oversight of the rest of the U.S. casino industry). In recent years it has made intermittent noises about selling off its 47 casinos and … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment, Hard Rock Hotel, Health, Internet gambling, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, Sports betting, The Rio, Virgin Hotels, Westgate LV | Comments Off on Case Bets

Hiccup in Virginia; Sheldon’s retail therapy

Just when it seemed like casinos in Virginia were a done deal, some last-minute tinkering by Gov. Ralph “Blackface” Northam (D) could scupper the whole deal. Northam unilaterally amended the enabling legislation to redirect two-thirds of the tax collections from … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cretins, Economy, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports betting, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Virgin Hotels, Virginia, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hiccup in Virginia; Sheldon’s retail therapy

Sisolak vs. Goodman, Round Two; Wynn’s recovery plan

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D), while acknowledging that his state’s unemployment-aid infrastructure is swamped (although initial jobless claims declined to 58,641 last week), is taking a steady-as-she-goes approach to reopening the Silver State, relying heavily on medical advice. “This is not … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Caesars Entertainment, California, Charity, Conventions, Crown Resorts, Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Health, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Politics, The Strip, Tourism, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Northam covets slot tax; CEO suddenly out at Foxwoods

In Gov. Ralph Northam‘s Virginia there are two inevitabilities: death from Coronavirus and taxation of black-market slot routes. Northam wants to legitimize the devices (their unsanitary properties notwithstanding) in order to collect taxes off them. He rationalizes the move by … Continue reading

Posted in e-sports, Economy, Foxwoods, Health, International, Internet gambling, Politics, Problem gambling, Resorts World LV, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Virginia, William Hill | Comments Off on Northam covets slot tax; CEO suddenly out at Foxwoods

Small casinos still screwed; Hedge funds on the prowl

Evidently someone got American Gaming Association President Bill Miller’s letter to Donald Trump before POTUS’ eyes. We say “evidently” because somebody (probably the White House), in an effort to be Solomonic, persuaded the Small Business Administration to effect a compromise. It … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Health, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Politics, Regulation, Scientific Games, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Wynn sitting pretty; Trump Plaza damned, doomed

Wynn Resorts can sit out a Coronavirus crisis lasting 1.4 years. That’s how much cash ($3 billion) it’s sitting upon. First-quarter revenues took a 43% hit and are expected to come in somewhere in the $912 million-$969 million range. The … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Carl Icahn, Genting, Health, James Packer, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Singapore, Tribal, Twin River, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Asking the Big Guy; Coronavirus: Where does it end?

Trading on his longstanding Republican Party connections, American Gaming Association President Bill Miller is leapfrogging the Small Business Administration and Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, to take his case straight to Donald Trump. The problem, as we outlined yesterday, is … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Arizona, Baseball, California, Donald Trump, Economy, Florida, Health, Japan, Macau, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Politics, Singapore | 2 Comments

Macao bad, worse to come; No casinos for Brazil

“With the government keeping limitations on individual and group visas into the market and transportation options remaining impaired we believe the Macau market could take five to seven months to start stabilizing and showing improvement,” Stifel Financial analyst Steven Wieczynski … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, China, Connecticut, Dining, Economy, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Health, history, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maryland, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Politics, Scientific Games, Station Casinos, Taxes, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

No recovery in Macao

Despite the lifting of a government quarantine, casino revenues in Macao did not bounce back last month, down 80% to $664 million. That’s worse than forecast (70%). Tourism restrictions prompted by a second boomlet of Covid-19 in Macao didn’t help. … Continue reading

Posted in China, Economy, Health, International, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, PokerStars, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Technology, Tourism | Comments Off on No recovery in Macao

Maryland craters; Penn takes Trop loss

Free State Gov. Larry Hogan (R) having closed casinos on March 16, revenue results were predictably dire, down 58%. That’s a measly $69 million gross. MGM National Harbor booked $26 million, a 58.5% slide, with slots down 62% and tables … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Politics, Real Estate, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street, West Virginia, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Sanders enters casino fray; MGM execs play the market

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), perhaps in a move to reinvigorate his comatose presidential campaign, has waded into the dispute between the Trump administration and the Mashpee Wampanoag. The origin of the tribe’s newly dissolved, 321-acre reservation is clouded by tribal recognition during … Continue reading

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Genting, Health, history, Horseracing, Illinois, Indiana, International, Jim Murren, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Tribal, Twin River, Wall Street | 1 Comment