Category Archives: Politics

Macao takes the long view; Skill-based slots bomb in Europe

Posted on July 12, 2017 by David McKee

Macao gaming operators are off the hot seat as it appears increasingly inevitable that their casino concessions will be renewed rather than re-bid or nationalized. However, that may come at a price — literally. The casino magnates aren’t completely out … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Dan Gilbert, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Macau, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Politics, Regulation, Taxes, Technology | Comments Off

Slot routes thwarted in Pennsylvania; Crown 18 convicted

Posted on July 11, 2017 by David McKee

Gaming issues are holding the Pennsylvania state budget hostage. House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R) is saying ‘no deal,’ even as Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R) is remarking that an agreement is “more or less” in place. The latest … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Genting, International, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, The Crown 18, Wall Street | Comments Off

Good news across the Midwest; Pennsylvania blows it (again)

Posted on July 10, 2017 by David McKee

An extra weekend day may have made all the difference for Illinois, where gross gaming revenues rose 2% last month. The good news was spread pretty evenly throughout the market, except at Jumer’s Casino Rock Island, which slipped 6%, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Ameristar, Boyd Gaming, Dan Gilbert, Dan Lee, Eldorado Resorts, Full House Resorts, GLPI, Harrah's, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Isle of Capri, Majestic Star, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Racinos, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off

Exit SLS, enter Sahara; Seminoles reach Florida accord

Posted on July 7, 2017 by David McKee

Collectors, start gathering those SLS-branded souvenirs while you can. The auguries continue to accumulate that the beloved Sahara identity will be returning to the venerable hotel-casino. The latest sign is the changeover of the loyalty program to Club 52 (from … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Cordish Co., Florida, history, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Pets, Politics, Sahara, Sam Nazarian, Seminole Tribe, SLS Las Vegas, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Best Western Stratosphere?; Atlantic City rescued in nick of time

Posted on July 6, 2017 by David McKee

* Golden Entertainment will be facing a fait accompli when it takes over the Stratosphere and Aquarius Casino Resort from American Casino & Entertainment Properties. Outgoing owner ACEP has inked a pact with Best Western to manage the two flagship … Continue reading →

Posted in ACEP, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Economy, Golden Gaming, Goldman Sachs, Hard Rock Hotel, International, Japan, Kazuo Okada, Laughlin, Lawrence Ho, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Philippines, Politics, The Strip | 1 Comment

Trailer Stations invade Downtown; DFS rejected in Delaware

Posted on July 5, 2017 by David McKee

If there’s one thing I’ve learned at Las Vegas Advisor it’s that our readers love Trailer Stations — or at least reading about them. So, had been inclined to spend your Fourth of July playing slot machines, you could have … Continue reading →

Posted in Delaware, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Genting, Horseracing, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Moulin Rouge, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Slot routes, The Strip | Comments Off

Next stop, East Windsor; Everybody (in Vegas) must get stoned

Posted on June 29, 2017 by David McKee

“Make no mistake about it – the legislation I signed today is about jobs for the residents of Connecticut, and securing those jobs in our state.” With those words, Nutmeg State Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) affixed his signature approving a … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Foxwoods, Geoff Freeman, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

Glenn Straub, gaming’s problem child; Panic in New York State

Posted on June 28, 2017 by David McKee

“We’ve been shut down now for three years. As an abandoned building, we want the value of an abandoned building, not the value of a casino hotel,” said Revel owner Glenn Straub, defending his failure to pay Casino Reinvestment Development … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Foxwoods, GameCO, Glenn Straub, history, Marketing, New York, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, Tourism, Tribal | Comments Off

The truly big game: Sports betting; Trump vs. tribes … or not?

Posted on June 28, 2017 by David McKee

Going out on a limb, I. Nelson Rose predicts the Supreme Court will rule in New Jersey‘s favor with regard to sports betting. As he notes, “[Chief Justice John Roberts] and the other conservative members of the Court would like … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Geoff Freeman, history, Internet gambling, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal | Comments Off

Eyeball-to-eyeball in Pennsylvania; The tomato cans cometh

Posted on June 26, 2017 by David McKee

Pennsylvania‘s i-gaming legislation could fall apart, as New York State’s shamefully did (Gary Pretlow should change his name to Mr. Useless) but both houses are presently trying to find a satisfactory middle ground. Slot routes stick in the craw of … Continue reading →

Posted in Horseracing, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, Sports, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal | Comments Off

Okada in the cross-hairs; Oregon poker rooms (sorta) saved

Posted on June 22, 2017 by David McKee

Could it be? Dare we hope? Gamey gaming mogul Kazuo Okada is in danger of losing his Nevada license. (Steve Wynn is quietly celebrating somewhere.) Already he’s been suspended by his own company, Universal Entertainment Corp., and his dreams of … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Greenwood Racing, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Japan, Kazuo Okada, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Steve Wynn, Texas, Westgate LV | Comments Off

Big Brother lives in Japan; Zinke betrays tribes

Posted on June 21, 2017 by David McKee

Imagine that you had to display your Social Security card every time you visited a casino, and have that data recorded and reported. It would kind of put you off gambling, wouldn’t it? Well, it’s an idea being floated in … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Florida, Japan, Macau, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Singapore, South Korea, Tribal | Comments Off

That wacky Glenn Straub; New York caves on ‘Net bets

Posted on June 20, 2017 by David McKee

Call it Revel, call it Ten but, whatever you do, call it “closed.” Because that’s what Revel is. Owner Glenn Straub is frittering away the prime earning weeks of the year while he fights with state and local officials, whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cosmopolitan, Donald Trump, Environment, Glenn Straub, Internet gambling, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Revel | Comments Off

Phlegmatic about Macao; New Jersey warns Trump

Posted on June 19, 2017 by David McKee

* Wall Street analysts have been descending upon Macao and we’re told to expect a rebranding of Sands Cotai Central “as its brand doesn’t have traction like Venetian, Wynn, and City of Dreams,” writes JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff. That … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Internet gambling, Kazuo Okada, Law enforcement, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, Philippines, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Steve Wynn, The Crown 18, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off

Adelson fights for dirty power; Hard Rock on the move

Posted on June 15, 2017 by David McKee

Fossil fuel-loving fossil Sheldon Adelson is putting heavy pressure on Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) to veto a bill that would increase the production of renewable energy in the Silver State. And when Adelson says “Jump!”, Sandoval asks “How high?” … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Florida, Hard Rock International, International, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes | Comments Off

Bonacic: Let’s make a deal; Freeman makes sports-betting case

Posted on June 14, 2017 by David McKee

You could soon be able to play Internet poker in New York State — by going to a casino. That’s the compromise proposed by Senate Racing, Wagering & Gaming Committee Chairman John Bonacic (R). Only casinos and racinos would be eligible to … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Genting, Geoff Freeman, Internet gambling, Lawrence Ho, Massachusetts, New York, Philippines, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Taxes | Comments Off

Quote of the Day

Posted on June 13, 2017 by David McKee

“I understand Disney’s opposition to gaming, not wanting visitors to spend their money away from Disney World or Epcot, but their visitors also have gaming available, being close to America’s top grossing casino resort, the Seminole Hard Rock, down I-4, in Tampa. The Orlando … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Hard Rock International, Politics, Tribal | Comments Off

Pennsylvania bill gives some, takes more; MGM discloses new plans

Posted on June 8, 2017 by David McKee

Pennsylvania‘s House of Representatives has passed a gambling-expansion bill that gives with one hand but takes away more with the other. The bill, which still must pass the state Senate would: legalize DFS, pending a 19% tax and $50,000 licensing … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Dan Gilbert, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Mirage, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Slot routes, Taxes, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Galaxy targets Japan; Tribes expand Connecticut demands

Posted on June 2, 2017 by David McKee

“We believe that Japan has a huge opportunity to create something unique that doesn’t just follow the Vegas model seen in many other markets around the world.” With those words, Galaxy Entertainment President Michael Mecca announced that Galaxy was in … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Illinois, Internet gambling, Japan, Lucky Dragon, Macau, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Politics, Taxes | Comments Off

Strip survives baccarat drought; Gural reprieves Atlantic City

Posted on May 31, 2017 by David McKee

Las Vegas Strip gaming execs can breathe a sigh of relief that April’s 3% decline in revenue, while worse than expected, was as small as it was. After all, they were up against flat baccarat wagering and a revenue plunge … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, Hard Rock International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, New York, Politics, Technology, TV | Comments Off