Category Archives: Politics

Florida compact sneaks into effect; DraftKings buys out Fertitta

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has jumped the shark. Her department has wisely-washily neither confirmed nor denied the controversial Seminole Tribe compact with the state of Florida, one that gives the Seminoles control over sports betting in the state. … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, BetMGM, California, Culinary Union, DraftKings, FanDuel, Florida, Golden Nugget, Health, Internet gambling, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Maryland goes, goes, goes; Penn flips out; SEC scrutinizing DraftKings

We Americans sure do love us some gambling. Maryland‘s July numbers just came in and it’s 20.5% (!) ahead of 2019. Casinos won $180 million and two extra weekend days obviously helped the tally. MGM National Harbor led with $72 … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., DraftKings, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Kansas, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Missouri, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pahrump, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Technology, Tribal, TV, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Maryland goes, goes, goes; Penn flips out; SEC scrutinizing DraftKings

Monster monopoly on the Strip?; Caesars wows Wall Street

In a deal that Nevada regulators would block if they had an ounce of spine, MGM Growth Properties proposes to sell itself to Vici Properties, which would put nearly all the prime land on the Las Vegas Strip under one … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Conventions, Dining, Illinois, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Nebraska, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Sports betting, Tennessee, The Rio, The Strip, Vici Properties, Wall Street, William Hill | 1 Comment

‘ElDiablo’ rides again; Sports betting on the verge in Massachusetts

Last week, Vegas Message Board hosted a lengthy, detailed and impassioned screed from a self-professed Seven Stars member about a recent trip to Las Vegas and stay with Caesars Entertainment. First, the good news: the player host was extremely obliging, … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, Eldorado Resorts, Entertainment, Foxwoods, Georgia, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Massachusetts, Penn National, Politics, Slot routes, Sports betting, Taxes, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Indiana, Missouri stay strong; Mixed feelings about buffets

Casino winnings in Indiana came up just a few increments short of $200 million last month, a 13% gain on 2019. Hard Rock Gary came out of the blocks fast, grossing $26 million, although Horseshoe Hammond climbed 7% to retain … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Dining, DraftKings, Entertainment, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Health, Indiana, Internet gambling, Louisiana, Michael Gaughan, Missouri, New Jersey, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Philippines, PointsBet, Politics, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Nevada conventions healthy, Nevadans not so much

Tourism to Las Vegas in May was 12% higher than April and June should continue the climb, even if long-awaited World of Concrete was a flop (one-sixth of the expected attendance). Next up was the Nightclub & Bar Show, which … Continue reading

Posted in China, Conventions, Dining, Donald Trump, Health, history, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, MGM Resorts International, New York, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Reno, Seminole Tribe, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wisconsin, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Torrid summer in Ohio; Kiddies for sports betting

We’ve been a busy bee of late. You can read our interview with Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment‘s Pacific viceroy, Bobby Soper, see our preview of Resorts World Las Vegas or look back on 2020, the year that wasn’t in gaming. … Continue reading

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cosmopolitan, DraftKings, FanDuel, Florida, Foxwoods, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Jack Entertainment, Law enforcement, Lotteries, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, PointsBet, Politics, Resorts World LV, Rush Street Gaming, Seminole Tribe, South Korea, Sports betting, Technology, Wall Street, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Resorts World a smash hit; Cranky Maine woman stiffs tribes

Some of us thought Nevada would never regain the giddy gambling heights of 2007. We were wrong. May was the best month in Silver State history, as casinos raked in $1.2 billion. (The previous high was in October 2007, on … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Cordish Co., DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Genting, Health, Maine, Marketing, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Racinos, Resorts World LV, Sahara, Sports, Sports betting, Tennessee, Tribal, Virginia, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Unlucky Lucy; Las Vegas “vibrant;” Secret plan for Atlantic City

No executives? No financing? No problem, right? Big problem! Just ask the nonentities behind a proposed Terre Haute casino. They just got turned down for a license. This almost never happens in “gold standard” Nevada, not because casino projects have … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Conventions, Cordish Co., Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Horseracing, Illinois, Indiana, Law enforcement, Macau, MGM Resorts International, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Politics, Real Estate, Regulation, Slot routes, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Spectacle Entertainment, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Virginia | 2 Comments

Same to you, fella; Mega-Jottings

We were stumped for a lead item until we got this snap from our Atlantic City bureau. One has to puzzle at Borgata‘s cretinous idea of a welcome, particularly its implicit slap at women. Did property President Melonie Johnson sign … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Cretins, Diversity, Foxwoods, Greenwood Racing, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, Taxes, Technology, Texas, Tribal, William Hill | Comments Off on Same to you, fella; Mega-Jottings

Trump banned; Richmond: The fix was in

Donald Trump won’t be opening a casino in Doral. Neither will anyone else. Not if the Doral City Council has its way. It voted unanimously to bar casino gambling within the city, which encompasses The Donald’s struggling resort. This has … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Cordish Co., Donald Trump, DraftKings, Entertainment, FanDuel, Florida, Health, Iowa, Mohegan Sun, Money laundering, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Virgin Hotels, Virginia, William Hill | 3 Comments

Illinois limps, Ohio races; Flying the friendly skies with Hard Rock

First, the good news. Illinois gaming revenues held steady from April to May. However … they lagged May 2019 by 9.5%, for a gross of $107 million. The shining exception, as ever, was Rivers Casino Des Plaines, which cornered 39% … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, DraftKings, Genting, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Jack Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Neil Bluhm, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Politics, Slot routes, Taxes, Transportation | 1 Comment

Getting nasty in Florida; Police blotter

A “tortured artifice.” That’s what Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber (D) calls the new Florida gaming compact in a letter to the Interior Department. He urged them to reject the deal, not because of any issues with the Seminole Tribe, … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Donald Trump, Drugs, Economy, El Cortez, Entertainment, Florida, G2E, Hard Rock International, Health, Horseracing, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Money laundering, North Carolina, Pansy Ho, Politics, Problem gambling, Seminole Tribe, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Don’t make mine Manhattan

That’s the word from key legislators, who have made it clear that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) would be putting a casino in Manhattan over their dead bodies. “I believe it would be seriously detrimental to the residential and commercial quality … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Bally, BetMGM, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment, FanDuel, Genting, Georgia, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Marijuana, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, New York, Politics, Regulation, Resort fees, Resorts World LV, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Transportation, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Steve Wynn, international man of mystery

“Foreign agent.” That’s who Steve Wynn is, according to the Justice Department, which is prepared to sue the disgraced casino mogul if he doesn’t register as an aegis of Red China‘s government. Seems that Steve was carrying water for the … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, California, Canada, Card rooms, Century Casinos, China, Cretins, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Health, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, LVCVA, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, North Carolina, Ocean Resort, Phil Ruffin, PointsBet, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wisconsin, Wynn Resorts | 4 Comments

Caesars, MGM lead Vegas recovery; Florida compact dicey

Let’s start with some good news. JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff laid out a series of benchmarks for a Las Vegas comeback across the second half of 2021 (one year earlier than anticipated). “We think these data points are indicative … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Barstool Sports, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Conventions, Dining, Economy, Florida, Hard Rock International, Health, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, LVCVA, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Transportation, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Casinos collapse in Texas, advance elsewhere

All Sheldon Adelson‘s horses and all Sheldon Adelson’s men couldn’t put Texas megaresorts together. Or, as they said in Brooklyn (in a non-gaming context), wait ’til next year. Two separate bills to authorize everything from full-service casinos to poker rooms … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, Cordish Co., Dining, Donald Trump, Florida, Hard Rock International, Health, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Politics, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Virginia | 1 Comment

Massachusetts strong; Casino boycott announced

Massachusetts almost reached 2019 levels, coming up 4% shy with an April gross of $84.5 million. The commonwealth’s three casinos did this despite having to operate at 40% of capacity (all capacity limits will be lifted May 29). Plainridge Park … Continue reading

Posted in Donald Trump, Florida, Health, IGT, International, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Penn National, Politics, Seminole Tribe, Sports betting, Tamares Group, Taxes, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Wynn gaining steam; Miami Beach casino juice job dismissed

First-quarter results for Wynn Resorts were worse than expected in Macao but better than anticipated in both Las Vegas and Boston, while the company posted a revenue chasm around Wynn Interactive. To shore up the latter, Wynn is merging it … Continue reading

Posted in Bally, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Century Casinos, Conventions, Donald Trump, DraftKings, FanDuel, Florida, Hard Rock International, Horseracing, Illinois, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, TV, Virginia, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Wynn gaining steam; Miami Beach casino juice job dismissed

Hail Caesars; Durango Station green-lit

“Solid … very encouraging … impressive momentum.” Those were some of the things JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff had to say about Caesars Entertainment‘s 1Q21 numbers. Cash flow of $548 million well exceed Greff’s expected $429 million, to say nothing … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Caesars Entertainment, Card rooms, Conventions, Cosmopolitan, Derek Stevens, Entertainment, Florida, Health, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Michael Gaughan, New York, Politics, Reno, Seminole Tribe, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Hail Caesars; Durango Station green-lit