Category Archives: Politics

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

MGM Calgary?!?; Virginity postponed

Posted on April 2, 2019 by David McKee

Having long since abandoned its designs on Toronto, it seems MGM Resorts International is looking even deeper into the Great White North. According to DailyHive.com, MGM is pitching a $5.1 billion gambling and residential complex in downtown Calgary. Obviously New … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Australia, DFS, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Louisiana, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Sports betting | Comments Off

West Virginia joins ‘Net-bet pack; Conventioneers flood the Strip

Posted on March 29, 2019 by David McKee

And then there were five. Internet gambling was legalized in West Virginia this week, as was i-poker. Gov. Jim Justice (R) appears to have been opposed to the law—or to giving political opponents a stick to beat him with—so he … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, California, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Florida, Genting, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, New York, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Scientific Games, Tamares Group, The Strip, West Virginia | 2 Comments

Case Bets

Posted on March 26, 2019 by David McKee

It’s try, try again time for New Hampshire‘s Legislature, as it attempts to enact casino gambling. The state senate has narrowly passed a casino-enabling bill but it still needs to go through the lower house and receive the signature of … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, DFS, Entertainment, history, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, New Hampshire, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sports betting | Comments Off

Astral sighting; Cuomo nixes Gotham casinos

Posted on March 25, 2019 by David McKee

Urban blight along the Las Vegas Strip could be (partially) giving way to new casino development. Resort entrepreneur Asher Gabay has found the Promised Land in Las Vegas, where he hopes to take a run at the boutique-hotel concept. His … Continue reading →

Posted in Connecticut, Fontainebleau, Foxwoods, Genting, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New York, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Steven Witkoff, The Strip, Tribal, Virginia | Comments Off

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

Caesars: Running numbers; Showboat is back

Posted on March 21, 2019 by David McKee

JP Morgan‘s Daniel Politzer ran the numbers on an Eldorado Resorts buyout of Caesars Entertainment and finds it doable. His model is predicated on a $10.50/share purchase of CZR stock, currently trading at $8.56. That’s a pretty good deal for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Detroit, DFS, e-sports, Eldorado Resorts, Illinois, Internet gambling, Iowa, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas Sands, Laughlin, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Missouri, Politics, Reno, Sports, Taxes, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Eldorado explores Caesars takeover; MGM says ‘Play ball!’

Posted on March 19, 2019 by David McKee

Since corporate mergers, once begun, develop a momentum all their all own, it was inevitable that someone would step forward to explore a purchase of Caesars Entertainment, regardless of whether it is a good idea, risking a second bankruptcy. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, Genting, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Macau, Marketing, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, New York, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tilman Fertitta | Comments Off

Busy week for MGM; Adelson’s grim prognosis

Posted on March 12, 2019 by David McKee

Congratulations to MGM Resorts International on becoming the official casino sponsor of the Boston Red Sox (known around my house as “the Evil Empire”). I’m not sure how I feel about the MGM logo going up on the Green Monster, … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Baseball, Eldorado Resorts, history, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Laughlin, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mississippi, Politics, Problem gambling, Real Estate, Regulation, Security, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Taxes, Technology, Tribal, Tropicana Entertainment, William Hill | 1 Comment

Adelson ailing; Coup d’etat at Caesars

Posted on March 1, 2019 by David McKee

Last night, KTNV-TV reported that James Jimmerson, an attorney for Sheldon Adelson, had declared the mogul’s condition to be “dire.” Subsequently it was disclosed that Adelson has been diagnosed with cancer and hasn’t been to his office since Christmastime. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Current, Entertainment, International, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tourism | Comments Off

SJM Fok-ed up; Virginia approves casinos

Posted on February 28, 2019 by David McKee

Lucina Laam may be the most important person in Macao‘s turbulent casino history. As Wife #2 of Stanley Ho she bore Daisy Ho, Pansy Ho, Lawrence Ho and two other daughters not involved in the gaming biz. Now, in an … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, DFS, Donald Trump, Downtown Grand, Environment, history, International, Las Vegas Sands, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, New York, Pansy Ho, Pennsylvania, Politics, Singapore, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Stanley Ho, Technology, Tribal, Virginia | Comments Off

King on the rag; Macao mobbed; Sheldon goes green

Posted on February 27, 2019 by David McKee

Better hurry and line up that Circa funding, Derek Stevens: Rep. Steve King (R) is coming after your EB-5 investors. King has introduced a bill, currently little more than a placeholder, to terminate the EB-5 program. In the past we’ve been … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, Cretins, Delaware, Derek Stevens, Downtown Grand, Entertainment, Environment, Genting, Hard Rock International, International, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, South Korea, Sports betting, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Tourism, TV | 1 Comment

Wynn Resorts walloped

Posted on February 27, 2019 by David McKee

We’ve been down for a day and half for maintenance but S&G is back now with a doozy of a news dispatch: The good news for Wynn Resorts is that it gets to keep its Nevada gaming license. The bad … Continue reading →

Posted in Cantor Gaming, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, history, Massachusetts, Politics, Prostitution, Real Estate, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Sands: Buy Japanese; Gambling to come to Utah?

Posted on February 25, 2019 by David McKee

“It will be highly competitive, but I think the cards are stacked in the favor of those who are prepared, who have been working hard, who will have the best program, best strategy, the best understanding of the country, of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, DFS, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Japan, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, Ocean Resort, PokerStars, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting | Comments Off

Caesars dominates Louisiana; Steve Wynn wins in Beantown

Posted on February 22, 2019 by David McKee

Gaming revenue in Louisiana was flat last month, with strength in Shreveport and New Orleans making up for weakness in (mainly) Baton Rouge and Lake Charles. It’s difficult to account for the 3% dip in Lake Charles, aside from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Penn National, PokerStars, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, West Virginia | Comments Off

Iowa weighs sports betting; Miller time

Posted on February 21, 2019 by David McKee

Iowa casinos and DFS would be the winners if a new bill, which just passed out of a Senate State Government Committee, becomes law. Casinos would be given the right to operate terrestrial, mobile and online sports betting, and DFS would … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, DFS, Downtown, Economy, Horseracing, Iowa, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Oklahoma, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Mob, The Strip, Tribal, TV, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off

Danger, Will Robinson!

Posted on February 20, 2019 by David McKee

At a time when states are suing the Trump administration to preserve their online lotteries, a Florida legislator is moving in the opposite direction. State Rep. Will Robinson has introduced a bill that would permit only in-person sales of Florida … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Florida, Internet gambling, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Texas | Comments Off

Chronicle of a disaster foretold

Posted on February 19, 2019 by David McKee

It’s time for Caesars Entertainment‘s quarterly earnings call and, by way of a preview, JP Morgan analyst Daniel Politzer took a relatively dim view of selling the company as a cure for whatever ails it. “While we understand activists’ rationale … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Eldorado Resorts, Horseracing, International, Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Politics, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

MGM beats The Street

Posted on February 18, 2019 by David McKee

MGM Resorts International says it is no longer going to give Wall Street forward guidance on earnings. Why not? It beat its own forecasts by 3% on the Las Vegas Strip, 4% in its regional properties and 8% in all-important … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Internet gambling, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Rhode Island, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on February 13, 2019 by David McKee

“I don’t like getting beaten by Missouri. It’s a Kansas trait. I think a lot of people share that.” — Kansas state Rep. Stephanie Clayton, debating the nuts and bolts of sports betting.

Posted in Kansas, Missouri, Politics, Sports betting, Taxes | Comments Off