Category Archives: Regulation

Case bets

Posted on August 4, 2017 by David McKee

After loudly proclaiming that it wasn’t going down the Internet– gambling path, MGM Resorts International has quietly reversed field and is opening a New Jersey Web site called playMGM. (To be fair, the company also inherited a flourishing ‘Net-bet operation … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Columbia Sussex, Florida, Genting, Internet gambling, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Crown Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, New York, Racinos, Regulation | Comments Off

Dover downer; Connecticut rewrites the rules

Posted on August 2, 2017 by David McKee

Expect another request for tax cuts from Dover Downs after the Delaware racino posted a 96% decrease in second-quarter profits. (Slots are taxed at a usurious 43%.) While Dover Downs made $32,000, it suffered a 7% decline in casino revenues. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Cordish Co., Delaware, Foxwoods, GameCO, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, International, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Technology, Tribal | 1 Comment

Revel sold? Sez who?; Wynn loses his shirt

Posted on August 1, 2017 by David McKee

Atlantic City may have seen the last of Glenn Straub. Last week, Global Gaming Business Editor Roger Gros took to Twitter to announce that Revel (aka Ten) had been sold, former exec Mark Juliano — late of Sands Bethlehem — … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, Lawrence Ho, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Revel, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off

Palace coup; India: No Goa

Posted on July 26, 2017 by David McKee

While Station Casinos still hasn’t made up its mind whether to add a new hotel tower to Palace Station (with 606 rooms spread over 27 stories), it’s filed plans with the City of Las Vegas, just in case it decides … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Dining, Donald Trump, Economy, history, International, Internet gambling, Palms, Regulation, Station Casinos | 1 Comment

Mohegan Sun rules; Conflict over e-sports

Posted on July 25, 2017 by David McKee

Executives at Mohegan Gaming Entertainment can take a victory lap this morning. Readers of USA Today voted Mohegan Sun the finest casino in America, edging out Caesars Palace for the top spot. Bracketing Caesars was another tribal casino, Pechanga Resort … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, California, Downtown, e-sports, Foxwoods, Harrah's, Iowa, Louisiana, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal | 2 Comments

Pennsylvania: Small is lucrative; Sleazy doings in Maine

Posted on July 24, 2017 by David McKee

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania have passed an unbalanced budget but are still undecided on how (not “if”) to expand gambling to cover the shortfall. One late-entrant idea that is gaining more traction than anything else is the proposal of mini-casinos, 10 … Continue reading →

Posted in Affinity Gaming, Election, Foxwoods, Genting, Harrah's, Maine, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off

Play dirty; Ayre beats the rap

Posted on July 24, 2017 by David McKee

One of the great things about Nevada‘s gambling industry is that it’s a free market. If you’ve got the capitalization and qualify for a license, any number can play. (Actually, some have gotten licensed only to be exposed as empty … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Crown Resorts, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Genting, International, Internet gambling, James Packer, Law enforcement, Nevada, Regulation | Comments Off

Starting over at the Taj

Posted on July 20, 2017 by David McKee

“I think that we were trying to copy what was happening in Vegas. Everything out there had a theme, and I think that is what we were trying to do.” So says former Trump Taj Mahal executive Steve Norton about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, California, Carl Icahn, Donald Trump, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, history, Neil Bluhm, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Tribal | 1 Comment

Revel: The great silence; Strangulation in Japan

Posted on July 19, 2017 by David McKee

“Atlantic City casino owner clueless over $220M offer.” So read one of the headlines about the mystery New York City private equity firm that is ostensibly proffering $220 million (up from $200 million) for Revel and owner Glenn Straub‘s professions of … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, GameCO, Glenn Straub, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Macau, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Revel, The Mob, Wall Street | Comments Off

Wynn faces tough path in Japan; Sweetheart deal for Saucier

Posted on July 17, 2017 by David McKee

Things haven’t been going well for Kazuo Okada but he could still play spoiler to Steve Wynn‘s casino aspirations in Japan. Litigation between the two could tarnish Wynn’s image. Already, Wynn is swimming upstream, with MGM Resorts International and Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, California, Florida, Genting, Japan, Kazuo Okada, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Nevada, New York, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off

Revel up for grabs?; So long, O.J.

Posted on July 14, 2017 by David McKee

Glenn Straub could theoretically never do a damned thing with Revel and still turn a tidy profit. A New York-based private equity firm is reported as willing to pay him $200 million for the shuttered megaresort, which Straub picked up for … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Donald Trump, Genting, Glenn Straub, history, New York, Regulation, Revel, Station Casinos, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off

Cuomo’s missed bet; Next stop, Vietnam

Posted on July 13, 2017 by David McKee

Resorts World Catskills still hasn’t weighed in and yet it’s already looking like New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s bet on upstate casinos has crapped out. After an initial flurry of lookie-lous, the first three casinos are struggling to regain their … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Genting, Internet gambling, Iowa, Japan, Neil Bluhm, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Slot routes, Vietnam | Comments Off

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

What happens in Vegas goes to France; Big setback for Japan

Posted on July 10, 2017 by David McKee

French President Emmanuel Macron could be collateral damage of a made-in-Vegas scandal involving the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show. At the time, Macron was minister of the economy but had the ill judgment to headline a “French Tech Night” that was … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Election, Harrah's, International, Japan, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports, Wall Street | Comments Off

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

Arizona tribe moves ahead; The king and Adelson

Posted on July 3, 2017 by David McKee

Having beaten the system and Gov. Doug Ducey (R), the Tohono O’odham tribe in Arizona is moving ahead with construction of its permanent, Class III casino, with an eye toward completion by spring of 2019. The tribe has been getting … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Arizona, International, Macau, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Wall Street, Wisconsin | Comments Off

Strip has a strong May; The robots are coming

Posted on June 30, 2017 by David McKee

Las Vegas Strip casinos posted a 3% revenue increase in May, led by a 12% upswing in baccarat revenue (on only 3% more wagering). Slot coin-in was up 4% but winnings were flat. Non-baccarat table games won 3% more even … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Dining, Downtown, Entertainment, Environment, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Louisiana, North Las Vegas, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Regulation, Reno, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street | 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