Category Archives: Regulation

Park MGM re-closes; Gaming’s 2020 mandate

No, it’s got nothing to do with the smoking ban. Well, maybe. MGM Resorts International, as we mentioned yesterday, has decided it has too much hotel-room inventory going to waste on the Las Vegas Strip. As part of an austerity … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Dining, Economy, Election, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Baker’s casino crackdown; NFL playoffs diluted

No more all-night gambling for you, Massachusetts! Seeing a rise in Covid-19 cases, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) has curtailed casino hours. They have to close by 9:30 p.m. until further notice. If you’re buying booze (essential for Election Night) or … Continue reading

Posted in DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Health, International, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Baker’s casino crackdown; NFL playoffs diluted

Macao gets a boost; Sisolak’s October surprise

“Encouraging” isn’t what you usually say about a 75% plunge in revenue. But in Macao, where casino win has been virtually nonexistent this year it’s cause for dancing in the streets. To be pedantic, revenues were down 72.5% but an … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Caesars Entertainment, China, Economy, G2E, Hard Rock International, Health, International, Japan, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Real Estate, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Macao gets a boost; Sisolak’s October surprise

Sports, Internet buoy Atlantic City; Detroit struggles

As we predicted, Atlantic City is coming back faster than Las Vegas. It doesn’t hurt that it is not A) primarily a destination market; B) dependent upon conventions; C) reliant upon international travel; or D) at the mercy of the … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Detroit, DraftKings, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Regulation, Revel, Sports betting, Twin River, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Missouri wilts; Encore closes (sorta); Station upgraded

Pent-up demand and stimulus checks appear to be sputtering across the Midwest. Missouri casinos were down 7.5% last month, grossing $129.5 million. Slots ($112 million) were off 6% and table games tumbled 17%. Top grosser in the state was Ameristar … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Century Casinos, Downtown, Economy, Hard Rock International, International, James Packer, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Mohegan Sun, Palms, Penn National, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Transportation, Twin River, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Missouri wilts; Encore closes (sorta); Station upgraded

Sports betting lifts Illinois; Packer in a pickle

It was sagacious of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (whose family used to co-own the Grand Victoria casino in Elgin) to temporarily suspend his state’s rule requiring in person registration for sports betting. Last month, the Land of Lincoln saw $140 … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Boyd Gaming, China, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Crown Resorts, DraftKings, FanDuel, Health, Illinois, Indiana, Law enforcement, Lawrence Ho, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, The Crown 18, The Mob | 1 Comment

Massacre anniversary brings accord; Stevens wants you

Let the healing begin. An $800 million settlement between MGM Resorts International and victims of the Mandalay Bay Massacre has been blessed by a Clark County judge. Said co-plaintiff Stephanie Fraser, “By the grace of God, myself and my family … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Jim Murren, Law enforcement, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Resorts International, Regulation, Resorts World LV, Security, Sheldon Adelson, TV | 1 Comment

Case Bets

Congratulations to Plainridge Park. The Penn National Gaming racino celebrated five years in business and the renewal of its Massachusetts gaming license. The decision was unanimous. (And why not?) While Plainridge Park has seen its revenues cut into by Encore … Continue reading

Posted in Entertainment, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Missouri, Penn National, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip | 1 Comment

Vegas’ mixed message; China puts the squeeze on Macao

Is the Las Vegas Strip coming back? Yes and no, to judge by hotel rates for the October 18-24 period. They’re 50% 0ff last year’s but with a severe dichotomy between weekdays and weekends. For instance, Las Vegas Sands (even … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Barstool Sports, Caesars Entertainment, China, Conventions, Economy, Health, Kazuo Okada, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Problem gambling, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, The Strip, Tourism, Virgin Hotels, Wall Street, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Culinary Union makes endorsements; Bad Boyd!

No surprise, the Culinary Union has endorsed the Joe Biden/Kamala Harris ticket. Now we’ll see what shape the Culinary political machine is in after being depleted by Coronavirus. The union is boasting that it “drove turnout” during the 2020 Nevada … Continue reading

Posted in Aristocrat, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Election, Health, history, M Resort, Massachusetts, Politics, Regulation, Security, Sports, Sports betting, Technology, Terry Caudill, Tribal, TV | 1 Comment

So long, Shinzo; Shady dealings in Atlantic City

Japan‘s do-nothing prime minister, Shinzo Abe, is calling it quits for reasons of health. What this means for ‘Abenomics’ remains to be seen, let alone his highly unpopular casino push: Opinion polls consistently show two-thirds of the Nipponese public opposing … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Charity, Eldorado Resorts, Galaxy Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Japan, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Ocean Resort, Politics, Regulation | 4 Comments

Ohio strong, Maryland stable, Illinois stinks

Buckeye State casinos continued their impressive run last month, up 5% to gross $172 million. This is Ohio‘s best-ever August, even with an unfavorable calendar (one less weekend day). Star performer was Hollywood Toledo, up 33% to $23 million. MGM … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Baseball, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Colorado, Cordish Co., Dan Gilbert, Derek Stevens, DraftKings, GLPI, Golden Gaming, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Maryland, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

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

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

Dark portent for MGM Springfield; Chicago courts casinos

A thousand MGM Springfield employees have been canned, effective today. A skeleton crew of 800 keeps the casino-resort open, as it writhes in pandemic economic throes. Reports the Boston Globe, “State rules to prevent the spread of the coronavirus have … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Cantor Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Derek Stevens, Dining, Donald Trump, Downtown Grand, Economy, Golden Gaming, Health, Illinois, Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas Sands, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, North Las Vegas, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, Reno, Sahara, Silverton, Slot routes, Station Casinos, Taxes, Terry Caudill, The Strip, William Hill, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

New York game-changer; MGM sticks it to servers

What Jim Murren and Sheldon Adelson couldn’t do, New York state Sen. James Skoufis (D) just might. With four upstate casinos still closed and the state budget pummeled by the economic effects of Coronavirus, Skoufis is proposing that the state … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Economy, Election, Environment, Health, International, Jim Murren, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Unite-Here, Virginia | Comments Off on New York game-changer; MGM sticks it to servers

Sheldon: “No money for you!”; Newton manse for sale (again)

So the leopard really can’t change its spots. According to court documents, liens have been filed against the MSG Sphere at Venelazzo. The $1.65 billion project is being sued over $3 million in supposedly unpaid bills. Reported the Las Vegas … Continue reading

Posted in Colorado, Dining, Diversity, Health, Lucky Dragon, LVCVA, Massachusetts, Real Estate, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Sports betting, Tamares Group, The Strip, Transportation, Wayne F. Newton, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Fear and loathing at the Cosmo

Once again The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is being portrayed as the bad boy of Las Vegas Strip resorts when it comes to taking Covid-19 seriously. A headline in today’s Daily Beast reads, “Maskless gamblers. Verbal abuse. Infected colleagues. Workers … Continue reading

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Caesars Entertainment, Cosmopolitan, Culinary Union, Derek Stevens, Dining, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Politics, Regulation, The Strip, Virgin Hotels, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Keystone State casinos go begging; IRS: DFS is gambling

What if they gave a casino and nobody came? How about six casinos? That’s the problem faced by Pennsylvania, whose Lege over-optimistically authorized 10 satellite casinos, dollar signs dancing in their heads. The first couple of rounds of bidding were … Continue reading

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, DFS, Indiana, Internet gambling, Japan, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, Station Casinos, Taxes, Technology, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Covid tourism at Bally’s; College football conundrum

When Bally’s Las Vegas announced that the Real Bodies exhibit would be adding “Covid-19 Content” we admittedly feared the worst: corpses of Coronavirus victims on display. While cashing in on Covid-19 is in questionable taste, Real Bodies seems to be … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, China, Dining, Diversity, Economy, Election, FanDuel, Health, Las Vegas Raiders, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Regulation, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, The Strip, Transportation, Westgate LV, William Hill | 3 Comments

Caesars postpones casino sale; D.C. sports betting bombs

One Caesars Entertainment casino of many on the Las Vegas Strip remains theoretically for sale … but put your checkbooks away for the time being. While new CEO Tom Reeg has to make good on his promise to realize hundreds … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Arkansas, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Election, Full House Resorts, Genting, Health, history, Las Vegas Sands, Mississippi, Movies, Ocean Resort, Oklahoma, Penn National, Real Estate, Regulation, Reno, Sahara, Singapore, Sports betting, Tribal, Unite-Here | 1 Comment