Category Archives: Politics

A change of heart on loco weed; Miller briefs Congress

Posted on February 11, 2019 by David McKee

In a development certain to make Nevada resort owners grind their teeth in envy, cannabis is predicted to be this year’s wellness trend. As you know, Nevada gaming regulators have hung a “Do Not Enter” sign on the recreational-marijuana industry … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, AGA, Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Geoff Freeman, history, Japan, Marijuana, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Taxes | 2 Comments

Bluhm’s big push; Gary dissed; Oscar betting debuts

Posted on February 11, 2019 by David McKee

Neil Bluhm isn’t waiting like some blushing wallflower for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to approve him for a casino in Brockton. He’s spent $430,000 on Beacon Hill to make his $700 million casino project in reality. To put that in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Architecture, Caesars Entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, Economy, Entertainment, Genting, Indiana, Iowa, Law enforcement, Majestic Star, Massachusetts, Movies, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off on Bluhm’s big push; Gary dissed; Oscar betting debuts

Churchill Downs pwns Caesars; Kentucky covets casinos

Posted on February 8, 2019 by David McKee

Cold weather helped chill Indiana casino revenues last month, down 6%. The Hoosier State’s casinos and racinos grossed $154 million. Horseshoe Southern Indiana continues to bleed business to Churchill Downs‘ Derby City, hemorrhaging 10% to $16.5 million. Full House Resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, DFS, e-sports, Eldorado Resorts, Full House Resorts, Indiana, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, New York, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Technology, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Sports books take Super Bowl hit

Posted on February 5, 2019 by David McKee

With 75% of bettors wagering on the New England Patriots, plus a “george” 53-1 side bet for in-store credit, FanDuel got taken to the woodshed during Super Bowl LIII, losing $5 million. “All of this combined to leave New England as … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Arizona, Economy, Genting, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Marketing, New Jersey, Politics, Problem gambling, Resort fees, Singapore, Sports betting, Taxes, Texas | Comments Off on Sports books take Super Bowl hit

New name, new push for Foxwoods/Mohegan casino; Nevada casinos robust

Posted on February 4, 2019 by David McKee

Tribal Winds. That’s what Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino are going to call their joint venture in East Windsor, Connecticut. The duo has already spent $14 million on the $300 million project. Both of the tribes involved are not … Continue reading →

Posted in Connecticut, Economy, Foxwoods, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Politics, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wendover | Comments Off on New name, new push for Foxwoods/Mohegan casino; Nevada casinos robust

Next stop: Virginia; Lady Gaga erupts

Posted on January 23, 2019 by David McKee

Lawmakers in Virginia have voted a “mashup casino bill” out of committee, sending it along to the Senate Finance Committee for further scrutiny. The legislation would authorize five casinos in Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, Richmond and Norfolk respectively and juices the Pamunkey … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Vietnam, Virginia | 1 Comment

AFL goes to A.C.; Majestic Star coming ashore?

Posted on January 22, 2019 by David McKee

In keeping with the new and hard-won sense of prosperity in Atlantic City, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority hopes to bring arena football to the Boardwalk, specifically to Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. The early talk is a of three-year public/private partnership … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, DFS, Economy, history, Indiana, Law enforcement, Macau, Majestic Star, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes | Comments Off on AFL goes to A.C.; Majestic Star coming ashore?

Massachusetts mulls sports betting

Posted on January 21, 2019 by David McKee

Massachusetts is expected to be one of the prime movers on the sports-betting front and, to that end, three bills have been filed in the Lege, no doubt much to the interest of homeboys DraftKings, the New England Patriots and … Continue reading →

Posted in Dining, IGT, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Mississippi, Penn National, Politics, South Dakota, Sports, Sports betting | Comments Off on Massachusetts mulls sports betting

Adelson sparks firestorm

Posted on January 21, 2019 by David McKee

When Bill Miller was appointed CEO of the American Gaming Association, we speculated that his relationship with Sheldon Adelson would be “less strained” than that of predecessor Geoff Freeman. Indeed, that already seems to be the case. It would account … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Carl Icahn, Churchill Downs, Delaware, DFS, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, Geoff Freeman, Illinois, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Tropicana Entertainment, Wall Street, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Adelson sparks firestorm

Oh, what a tangled web we weave …

Posted on January 21, 2019 by David McKee

… when we call our new casino Circa. An S&G source has done some research on the matter and found that “Circa” is trademarked to Michigan company NMH Acquisition. The Patent Office gave Circa “trademark serial number of 87960443.” NMH … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, CityCenter, Dan Lee, Derek Stevens, Downtown, International, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting | Comments Off on Oh, what a tangled web we weave …

Wall Street says the “R” word; The wrath of Rufus Peabody

Posted on January 17, 2019 by David McKee

Credit Suisse analyst Cameron McKnight has uttered the word most dreaded around Las Vegas: recession. He’s even come up with some projections. “Based on our long-term Strip model, we can see a recession scenario for the Strip in which revenue … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Indiana, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Wall Street says the “R” word; The wrath of Rufus Peabody

Re-reversing the Wire Act: What it means

Posted on January 16, 2019 by David McKee

Last weekend’s flip-flop by the Justice Department‘s stance on the Federal Wire Act has spurred a fair amount of chin scratching in the gaming industry. Global Market Advisors notes the immediate implication: “The action, which at best can be described as … Continue reading →

Posted in Delaware, DFS, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on Re-reversing the Wire Act: What it means

Quote of the Day

Posted on January 7, 2019 by David McKee

“I think it’s unfair because you’re taking a state entity like the lottery and trying to compare it to the free-market system of other online gaming platforms. If your problem is a concern for the lottery, you’re never going to … Continue reading →

Posted in Internet gambling, Politics | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Reid rages against the dying of the light; Michigan nixes Net bets

Posted on January 4, 2019 by David McKee

Nevada‘s most famous gaming regulator is dying. Harry Reid has pancreatic cancer and we’d say he’s throwing verbal restraint to the winds now that he has nothing to lose — but that has always been Reid’s style. The New York … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, Donald Trump, Harry Reid, history, Internet gambling, Japan, Massachusetts, Politics, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports, Sports betting, Tourism, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Reid rages against the dying of the light; Michigan nixes Net bets

Dover Downer; Pilgrims rally to Wampanoags’ side

Posted on December 26, 2018 by David McKee

With an audible “Bah, humbug!”, Dover Downs became the first Delaware racino to operate on Christmas Day. While CEO Denis McGlynn claimed “This was not something we’ve been pushing hard for,” in his negotiations with the state, he didn’t hesitate to … Continue reading →

Posted in Delaware, history, International, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Politics, Racinos, Rush Street Gaming, Scientific Games, Technology, Tribal | Comments Off on Dover Downer; Pilgrims rally to Wampanoags’ side

Christmas Case Bets

Posted on December 24, 2018 by David McKee

Macao is expected to set a record for visitation this, no doubt to the delight of casino executives in the enclave. If 32.5 million tourists came in 2017, they will be topped by the 35 million who came this year … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Detroit, Economy, Hard Rock Hotel, Internet gambling, Macau, Politics, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Virginia, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Christmas Case Bets

Stabbed in the back

Posted on December 24, 2018 by David McKee

In a colossal act of betrayal, the NFL, Major League Baseball and the PGA Tour have turned on their new gaming ‘partners’ and betrayed them by getting into bed with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D) and his dreadful bill to push … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Internet gambling, Japan, Law enforcement, New Jersey, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Taxes, Tourism | Comments Off on Stabbed in the back

Bad idea refuses to die; E-sports comes to the Boardwalk

Posted on December 20, 2018 by David McKee

Sens, Chuck Schumer (D) and Orrin Hatch (R), forever in search of bad ideas to espouse, it would seem, have introduced the Sports Wagering Market Integrity Act of 2018. There’s no mention of Hatch’s cockamamie notion of individual states having … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Dining, e-sports, Economy, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Politics, Racinos, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Sports betting comes to D.C.; Free advice for Steve Wynn

Posted on December 19, 2018 by David McKee

In a move that is certain to chap the hindquarters of prudes like Sen. Orrin Hatch (R), the District of Columbia‘s ruling body has voted 11-2 to legitimize sports betting in our nation’s capitol. According to NBC, the legislation permits … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, California, Dining, Marketing, Mississippi, Politics, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Sports betting comes to D.C.; Free advice for Steve Wynn

Atlantic City sparks controversy; Resort fee change at Cosmo

Posted on December 14, 2018 by David McKee

Faced with a 9% drop in operating profit at Atlantic City casinos, pundits are squaring off as to whether this means doom for the laggards. Analyst Tony Marino told The Press of Atlantic City that it “might be wise to … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cosmopolitan, Economy, International, Internet gambling, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Resort fees, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments