Category Archives: Racinos

Maryland returns to normal; Caesars offloads assets

Posted on October 6, 2020 by David McKee

Pandemic? What pandemic? Maryland casino revenues were 1% above last September’s, indicating a resumption of normality, at least where gambling is concerned. The statewide gross was $149.5 million. That’s despite restrictions that include keeping the casino floor at 50% of … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Conventions, Cordish Co., Cretins, Delaware, Diversity, Economy, Election, FanDuel, Golden Gaming, Health, International, Internet gambling, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Nebraska, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Reno, Sports betting, Tribal, Virginia, West Virginia, William Hill | Comments Off

Cuomo abandons N.Y. casinos; Legal brawls in Atlantic City

Posted on September 2, 2020 by David McKee

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has turned his back on the casino industry in no uncertain terms. The Empire State lags the entire nation in casino reopenings and Cuomo shows no inclination to soften his hard line. As for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Dining, Health, Horseracing, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, New York, Ocean Resort, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Scientific Games, Sports betting, The Mob, The Rio, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Maryland rebounds; Penn wows Wall Street; Trump to play Lucky Dragon

Posted on August 6, 2020 by David McKee

In a near-miraculous development, Maryland gambling revenues were only 6% off the pace last month. Between cabin fever and the belated delivery of those $1,200 stimulus checks, we’re not entirely surprised that Free State punters had both the desire and … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Arizona, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Donald Trump, Election, Florida, Georgia, Golden Gaming, Health, Internet gambling, Lotteries, Lucky Dragon, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sports, Sports betting, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, TV, Wall Street, West Virginia | 2 Comments

MGM: The lion mews; AGA: Betrayal by Miller

Posted on July 31, 2020 by David McKee

Second-quarter results for MGM Resorts International are in and the company got hammered pretty badly. Las Vegas Strip revenues fell 90% to $151 million, regional operations dropped 90% to $89 million and Macao grossed a feeble $33 million, down 95%. … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Conventions, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, Downtown, Economy, Golden Nugget, Health, Horseracing, Illinois, Macau, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Real Estate, Sahara, Sports betting, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

It’s Coronavirus’ world, we just live in it

Posted on July 28, 2020 by David McKee

Some days it just doesn’t pay to be Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R). He’s lost authority over the eastern half of the Sooner State. How? The U.S. Supreme Court—hardly a hotbed of bleeding-heart liberals—ruled that historical claims by the Muscogee … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Election, Health, Internet gambling, Iowa, Marketing, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Politics, Racinos, South Carolina, Sports betting, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

Wynn reinvents the buffet; Cash out, digital in?

Posted on June 16, 2020 by David McKee

We seem to have been overfearful in predicting the demise of the Las Vegas buffet. Wynncore‘s reopens on Thursday, making it the first to do so. But it won’t be the same old same-old. Yes, there will be 90 selections and, … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Delaware, Dining, Entertainment, Genting, Health, Horseracing, International, Louisiana, Money laundering, Movies, Nevada, Oklahoma, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, South Dakota, Technology, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

AGA tackles IRS; Stevens picks up the tab

Posted on May 27, 2020 by David McKee

Perhaps emboldened by its success with the Small Business Administration, the American Gaming Association is tackling an even bigger, more formidable foe: the Internal Revenue Service. Specifically, the AGA is taking aim at the $1,200 “IRS lockdown,” the threshold at which … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, Derek Stevens, Eldorado Resorts, Health, Louisiana, MGM Resorts International, Racinos, Regulation, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Transportation, Virginia | 1 Comment

Hiccup in Virginia; Sheldon’s retail therapy

Posted on April 21, 2020 by David McKee

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

Tarnished Golden; Exec blasts Japan

Posted on March 18, 2020 by David McKee

Golden Gaming was coming off a strong 4Q19: Net revenues at its Nevada casinos were 24% higher, to $134 million, and its slot routes were up 4.5% to $73 million. However, JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff warned investors to “stay … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Economy, Golden Gaming, Health, Horseracing, Japan, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Real Estate, Singapore, Slot routes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Explosive month in Indiana, elsewhere

Posted on March 10, 2020 by David McKee

Hoosier State casinos were raking it in hand over fist last month, as casino receipts shot 14.5% upward. The $192 million gross included $7 million from still-novel table games at Indiana Grand and Hoosier Downs. Yes, there was an extra … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Century Casinos, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Full House Resorts, Hard Rock International, Indiana, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Spectacle Entertainment, Sports betting | Comments Off

Massachusetts’ Daddy Warbucks; Ghoulish new Flamingo show

Posted on March 4, 2020 by David McKee

Neil Bluhm doesn’t have an office in Massachusetts. Nor any employees. But Rush Street Gaming‘s Bay State affiliate spent the second-highest amount on lobbying last year. That’d be 662 dimes lavished on the pursuit of the state’s elusive, final casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Caesars Entertainment, California, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Health, history, Lotteries, Marketing, Massachusetts, Neil Bluhm, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Resorts World LV, The Strip, TV | Comments Off

More Stitt double talk; Tribes try again for Maine casinos

Posted on February 24, 2020 by David McKee

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) continues to bake over $130 million/year in tribal-casino exclusivity fees into his next two budgets, despite A) contending that the state’s Native American casinos are operating illegally and B) raiding those exclusivity fees to pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambodia, China, Churchill Downs, Economy, Internet gambling, Maine, Oklahoma, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off

MGM’s past distinguished, future cloudy; Broken Winds

Posted on February 14, 2020 by David McKee

Yesterday, while noting MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren‘s impending departure, we were remiss in noting some of his accomplishments. On Murren’s 2008-20 watch, the company became synonymous with diversity, environmentalism, LEED certification and community outreach. With becoming modesty, Murren … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Churchill Downs, Connecticut, Dining, Diversity, Eldorado Resorts, Environment, Foxwoods, Japan, Kentucky, Macau, Marijuana, Maverick Gaming, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sports betting, Tribal, Wall Street, Washington State, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Boom in the Rust Belt

Posted on February 10, 2020 by David McKee

You’d be forgiven if you did a double take upon seeing the latest casino-revenue numbers out of the Midwest. Business is up—to sometimes-unprecedented degrees. Take Ohio, for instance. It’s always a casino-friendly state … but a 19% upsurge in revenue? … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Dan Gilbert, DraftKings, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, GLPI, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Indiana, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Rush Street Gaming, Spectacle Entertainment, Sports betting | 2 Comments

Turnaround at Station; Suburban sexcapades

Posted on February 5, 2020 by David McKee

Things are looking up for Station Casinos. The latest dispatch from JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff was optimistic, citing “a market that should experience solid 2% to 3% [gross gaming revenue] growth and possesses the ability to harvest margin growth as … Continue reading →

Posted in Diversity, Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, International, Kentucky, Las Vegas Raiders, Law enforcement, Mohegan Sun, Pahrump, Palms, Racinos, Real Estate, Regulation, Reno, Station Casinos, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Santa kind to the Strip; Oklahoma compact mess explained

Posted on January 30, 2020 by David McKee

Gambling revenues on the Las Vegas Strip rose 4.5% last month, even as locals casinos vaulted 13.5% and the state as a whole was up 6%. Strip casinos grossed $592 million, despite a 27% tumble in baccarat winnings on 29.5% less … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, IGT, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Lotteries, North Las Vegas, Oklahoma, Racinos, Reno, Rhode Island, The Strip, Tribal, Twin River | Comments Off

Indiana flat, Missouri down, Jones up

Posted on January 13, 2020 by David McKee

Indiana gaming revenues were microscopically down last month, to $186 million, not bad when one considers that December 2018 had one more weekend day. It’s too soon to have numbers from table games at the racinos, so January’s will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Century Casinos, Diversity, DraftKings, Eldorado Resorts, Environment, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Illinois, Indiana, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Scott Butera, Spectacle Entertainment, Sports betting, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Eyes on Atlantic City; ‘Smart chips’ a health menace?

Posted on January 6, 2020 by David McKee

It’s barely 2020 and already The Press of Atlantic City has identified the Boardwalk’s top five stories of the year. They are: 1) The evolving Eldorado Resorts takeover of Caesars Entertainment. Early indications are that Eldorado will try to keep … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Connecticut, Donald Trump, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Environment, Foxwoods, history, Indiana, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Spectacle Entertainment, Sports betting, Tilman Fertitta, Transportation | 2 Comments

Georgia solons mull gambling; DraftKings’ big deal

Posted on December 26, 2019 by David McKee

“I do think there’s momentum for something to happen this session,” state Sen. Brandon Beach (R, below) said of legalizing gambling in Georgia, although solons remain undecided on whether to add sports betting to the package they’ll be proposing. “We … Continue reading →

Posted in California, DraftKings, Economy, Entertainment, Georgia, Horseracing, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Neil Bluhm, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sexual misconduct, Sports betting, Steve Wynn, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off

Churchill Downs fights horseracing reform; Mattress Mack doesn’t regret $13M World Series bet

Posted on November 4, 2019 by David McKee

Churchill Downs‘ third-quarter cash flow results were “softer than expected” according to J.P. Morgan analyst Daniel Politzer, who added the “the impact of this was likely mitigated by the company announcing a slew of updates/capital projects which helped placate investors, … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Baseball, Charity, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Culinary Union, Election, Entertainment, Geoff Freeman, Horseracing, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Texas, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off