Category Archives: Regulation

Show Me some results; Wynn vindicated

Posted on October 10, 2014 by David McKee

Wall Street analysts expressed disappointment with last month’s gaming revenues from Missouri. Even a 5%  increase in spending couldn’t offset an 8% decline in foot traffic. A bright spot was that, for the quarter, Pinnacle Entertainment beat J.P. Morgan analyst … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Harrah's, Isle of Capri, Japan, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Mohegan Sun, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Singapore, Steve Wynn, Wall Street | Comments Off on Show Me some results; Wynn vindicated

Ivey loses & sundry Case Bets

Posted on October 9, 2014 by David McKee

Phil Ivey won’t be edge-sorting cards anytime soon. A British judge has ruled that, whether he knew it or not, Ivey was cheating when he won $12 million at Crockfords, a Genting Group casino in London. “He gave himself an advantage … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Columbia Sussex, Election, Genting, Indiana, International, Japan, Lake Tahoe, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Regulation, Station Casinos, Taxes, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, Warner Gaming | Comments Off on Ivey loses & sundry Case Bets

Study: Casinos bring down crime rate

Posted on October 8, 2014 by David McKee

“La, la, la, I DON’T HEAR YOU!” That’s the sound of casino opponents reacting to a new study that shows a 9% decline in murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft and arson in a 30-mile radius of Foxwoods … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Economy, Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Tribal | Comments Off on Study: Casinos bring down crime rate

Okada going slowly; Mixed news in Indiana

Posted on October 8, 2014 by David McKee

Kazuo Okada is butting heads with the Philippine government again. The latter says Okada has to have Marina Bay Resorts open by March of next year or forfeit a $2 million guarantee. Okada, whose project has been dogged by regulatory … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Harrah's, Indiana, International, Kazuo Okada, Ohio, Penn National, Pinnacle Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Okada going slowly; Mixed news in Indiana

Scandal brushes Wynn Boston

Posted on October 3, 2014 by David McKee

Federal and Massachusetts state authorities have filed charges against three men who sold land to Wynn Resorts for its Everett casino project. Mob associate Charles Lightbody, Anthony Gattineri and Dustin DeNunzio have been indicted on a spectrum of felonies that include … Continue reading →

Posted in CityCenter, Current, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Mob, The Strip | Comments Off on Scandal brushes Wynn Boston

Sinatra 1, Pandas 0

Posted on October 2, 2014 by David McKee

Euphemisms have a way of sanitizing everything. For instance, there are no longer mercenaries — instead they are “contractors,” which makes them sound like somebody you’d have install your pool deck. And in Las Vegas we don’t have celebrity impersonators, we … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, Entertainment, G2E, Massachusetts, Penn National, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Sinatra 1, Pandas 0

All Wynn, all the time

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee
Posted in Carl Icahn, Economy, Fontainebleau, G2E, Internet gambling, Macau, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Tamares Group, Taxes | Comments Off on All Wynn, all the time

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee

“Boston’s a destination educationally, in terms of research, in terms of medical research and technology research. Boston is a little bit like Silicon Valley, and it’s a financial centre of major international proportions. Boston has got museums. It’s a serious … Continue reading →

Posted in Macau, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Technology, Tourism | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Revel: Straub loses

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee

Bids are in for Revel and the white elephant goes to … Brookfield Asset Management, owner of the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. (The fund is obviously fond of problem children.) Brookfield’s winning bid was $110 million, leaving stalking-horse … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Election, Glenn Straub, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah's, Horseracing, Massachusetts, Morgans Hotel Group, Penn National, Regulation, Revel, Trump Entertainment Resorts | 3 Comments

Sanguine at Penn; Serrano goes Italian

Posted on October 1, 2014 by David McKee

Executives from Penn National Gaming were hosted by J.P. Morgan analysts this week at Global Gaming Expo and gave a fairly mellow outlook on business. Nationally, commerce is seen as stabilizing but not having bottomed out yet, although Penn is “holding … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Dining, Election, G2E, Harrah's, history, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Sanguine at Penn; Serrano goes Italian

Rocky Mountain low; Crouching Tiger, hidden ownership

Posted on September 26, 2014 by David McKee

A study by — you guessed — proponents of a racino in Colorado is projecting some hard-to-believe numbers,  contingent upon Arapahoe Park being approved for casino gambling in November. They’re predicting $418 million in statewide economic impact, including $114 million … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Colorado, Economy, Election, International, Kazuo Okada, Melco Crown Entertainment, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, Tribal | Comments Off on Rocky Mountain low; Crouching Tiger, hidden ownership

Wynn basks in victory

Posted on September 24, 2014 by David McKee

Having crushed his opposition in the Boston area, Steve Wynn can afford to be magnanimous — as he was in a flying visit to Beantown to mend fences and bask in the glow of victory … and to give a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Election, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Steve Wynn, Transportation | Comments Off on Wynn basks in victory

Taking it to the streets in Massachusetts, New York

Posted on September 24, 2014 by David McKee

While polls show casino repeal losing by larger and larger margins, MGM Resorts International and Penn National Gaming are taking no chances. (Wynn Resorts, cravenly, is sitting it out.) In the first TV salvo of the fall campaign, MGM Springfield … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Election, Genting, Harrah's, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Regulation, Steve Wynn, TV | Comments Off on Taking it to the streets in Massachusetts, New York

Wretched excess; Caesars’ good deeds

Posted on September 24, 2014 by David McKee

As long as Las Vegas casinos continue to provoke untrammeled, excessive behavior at their pool parties, they’re going to make the police blotter. It seems that one MGM Grand guest got an unwelcome surprise when he passed out in a restroom. … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Arizona, Cretins, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, MGM Mirage, Regulation, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on Wretched excess; Caesars’ good deeds

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 22, 2014 by David McKee

“I think we need intervention from the people who appointed [the Massachusetts Gaming Commission]. They’ve clearly gone beyond their duty.” — Boston Mayor Martin “McCheese” Walsh, raging at the MGC for choosing to award a casino license to Wynn Resorts … Continue reading →

Posted in Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Politics, Regulation, Steve Wynn | 1 Comment

Bad news in New York and Macao

Posted on September 22, 2014 by David McKee

In a setback for all regions of New York State that are eligible for a casino (or two), the casino-siting board has made it clear it’s taking a serious look at the “up to four” clause in the licensing process. … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, California, Economy, Illinois, Internet gambling, Macau, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Bad news in New York and Macao

Inside Sands’ success; Furor in Fresno

Posted on September 19, 2014 by David McKee

The most baccarat tables per casino in the U.S. are to be found at — no kidding — Sands Bethlehem. The casino, which fields 50 baccarat tables grossed $18 million in table game revenue last month, a record amount for … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Election, Greenwood Racing, Marketing, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Tribal, Wall Street | Comments Off on Inside Sands’ success; Furor in Fresno

VLTs come to Texas; Slots inundate Illinois; Gomes honored

Posted on September 19, 2014 by David McKee

Casino gambling has finally got its foot in the door of Texas (not counting a pair of tribal casinos on the Mexican border). Late last month, the Texas Racing Commission voted overwhelmingly to approve “historical racing” VLTs at Texas tracks, effective … Continue reading →

Posted in Bally Technologies, Charity, Dennis Gomes, Economy, Illinois, Racinos, Regulation, Slot routes, Technology, Texas | 1 Comment

As Iowa goes, so goes America

Posted on September 17, 2014 by David McKee

If you need any evidence of the increasing American acceptance of casino gambling as an everyday activity, just look to Iowa. Two years ago, 69% of Iowans had gambled in the previous year. Now it’s up to 78%. Mind you, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Downtown, Economy, Herbst Gaming, Iowa, Problem gambling, Regulation, Station Casinos | Comments Off on As Iowa goes, so goes America

Case Bets: Multimedia, Philadelphia, Maryland

Posted on September 17, 2014 by David McKee

Here’s a vivid account of Multimedia Games‘ reversal of fortune, how a company focused on B-level gaming markets established a presence in Nevada, Atlantic City and Pennsylvania, and improved its value sufficiently to make it a takeover target for Global … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Global Cash Access, Harrah's, Marketing, Maryland, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Regulation, Technology | 1 Comment