Category Archives: Technology

Derek Stevens, man of the year?; ‘Historical racing’ kneecapped

Posted on September 25, 2020 by David McKee

While we wait for own interview with Circa owner Derek Stevens to appear in Casino Life magazine (soon, we promise), we’ll shamelessly piggyback off David Ross‘ excellent Stevens profile in Global Gaming Business. Ross digs up some interesting architectural details … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Charity, Churchill Downs, CityCenter, Colony Capital, Conventions, Cosmopolitan, Derek Stevens, Diversity, Downtown, Election, Environment, Health, IGT, Kentucky, Scientific Games, Sports betting, Technology, Tourism, Wall Street | Comments Off on Derek Stevens, man of the year?; ‘Historical racing’ kneecapped

Sahara vs. Roeben, Round Two; Colorado sportsbooks boom

Posted on September 24, 2020 by David McKee

Vital Vegas author Scott Roeben made big news over the weekend with a countersuit against the Sahara for attempting to stifle freedom of the press. If you have a few days to spare, you can read the 111-page filing in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alex Meruelo, Archon Corp., Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, Colorado, Conventions, Culinary Union, Downtown, Downtown Grand, Entertainment, Hooters, Law enforcement, Sahara, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Tamares Group, Technology, Terry Caudill, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 4 Comments

Culinary Union makes endorsements; Bad Boyd!

Posted on September 23, 2020 by David McKee

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

Bad news and more bad news

Posted on August 28, 2020 by David McKee

Strip gaming revenue, ‘meh’ though it was, actually looks good in the context of Las Vegas visitation in July, which plummeted 61%. There hasn’t been a convention since April, which certainly hurts. Air travel was horrible, down 64%, while drive-in … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Dining, Downtown, e-sports, Economy, Failsinos, Hard Rock International, MGM Resorts International, Oklahoma, Penn National, Politics, Sports betting, Steven Witkoff, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, TV | 2 Comments

Locals salvage Nevada results; Prez betting odds tighten

Posted on August 26, 2020 by David McKee

July revenue numbers are in for Nevada (-26% statewide) and the Strip is expectedly poor, down 39% ($330 million) and locals play is unexpectedly strong, off only 8% from last year. The statewide gross was $757 million and locals slot … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Conventions, Downtown, Economy, Election, Health, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Mesquite, Pennsylvania, Reno, Security, Station Casinos, Technology, The Strip, Wall Street, Wendover | Comments Off on Locals salvage Nevada results; Prez betting odds tighten

Keystone State casinos go begging; IRS: DFS is gambling

Posted on August 19, 2020 by David McKee

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

Las Vegas: The first shall be last

Posted on July 15, 2020 by David McKee

Don’t stay up late waiting for business in Las Vegas to return to “normal” levels. Sin City is uniquely vulnerable to downturns in the U.S. economy (think of the Great Recession) and a trailing indicator of gambling’s health. The prime … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Aristocrat, Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, China, Conventions, Downtown, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Florida, G2E, Hard Rock International, Health, Las Vegas Sands, LVCVA, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Ohio, Penn National, Technology, The Strip, Transportation, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Mixed signals from Vegas

Posted on July 10, 2020 by David McKee

Reading the Las Vegas tea leaves on a daily basis has one oscillating between seeing a faster-than-anticipated or slower-than-expected recovery. Case in point: Penn National Gaming‘s lack of plans to reopen the Tropicana Las Vegas. It’s worth remembering that Penn … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, Economy, Entertainment, GLPI, Health, M Resort, Nevada, Penn National, Phil Ruffin, Reno, Sahara, Technology, The Strip | 1 Comment

Gaming the system is easy

Posted on July 1, 2020 by David McKee

by Andrew Fenton If you’re trying to get from Point A to Point B without getting caught by the authorities, you’re likely to head for the back roads where there are fewer police than on the highway. For the same … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, International, Internet gambling, Law enforcement, Macau, Money laundering, Technology | Comments Off on Gaming the system is easy

May’s cupboard empty

Posted on June 30, 2020 by David McKee

With Nevada casinos closed all May, gaming revenue was a ghost of its former self, down 99.5%, kept alive by mobile sports wagering and online poker. Silver State casinos grossed just under $6 million. Reno, Laughlin and Lake Tahoe all … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, G2E, Hard Rock International, Health, Internet gambling, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Law enforcement, Louisiana, MGM Resorts International, Ohio, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Regulation, Reno, Technology, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | 2 Comments

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

‘Net casinos boom; Indiana sports books struggle

Posted on June 11, 2020 by David McKee

Here is the kind of story American Gaming Association President Bill Miller doesn’t want us to write. Costa Rica-based PayPerHead software provider is quantifying the upsurge in Internet gambling that took off with Covid-19. Not only did online casinos benefit … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings, FanDuel, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, Penn National, Sports, Sports betting, Technology, Tourism, Transportation | Comments Off on ‘Net casinos boom; Indiana sports books struggle

Park MGM goes smokeless?; Excalibur returns

Posted on June 5, 2020 by David McKee

Resuming business in mid-pandemic, the casino industry finds itself at a nodal point unlike few in its history. The question: To smoke or not to smoke? Leaving aside our (negative) feelings about tobacco and its side effects, if the casino … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Arizona, Atlantic City, California, Environment, Health, Jim Murren, MGM Resorts International, Technology, The Strip, Tribal, Washington State | 3 Comments

The Drew is through; Stevens’ green shoots

Posted on June 3, 2020 by David McKee

Would somebody please implode Fontainebleau already? It’s an eyesore, a civic embarrassment and a product for which demand does not exist. We perhaps should be saying “The Drew” but—per Scott Roeben‘s all-but-infallible VitalVegas, The Drew is in default, meaning that … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Carl Icahn, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Fontainebleau, Health, Horseracing, Illinois, Phil Ruffin, South Korea, Sports, Sports betting, Steven Witkoff, Technology, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Go to the Convention Center, get a test; Station faces tough recovery

Posted on May 20, 2020 by David McKee

In a win for the Culinary Union, a wide swath of Las Vegas casinos have agreed to test all their employees for Coronavirus before they reopen. University Medical Center, the Culinary Health Fund and the Las Vegas Convention Center are all … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Culinary Union, Dining, Economy, Health, Indiana, Jim Murren, Louisiana, LVCVA, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Palms, Real Estate, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Technology, Tribal | 1 Comment

Nevada begins reopening sooner than expected

Posted on May 8, 2020 by David McKee

What do brothels and casinos have in common? (Some would say you get screwed in both.) Neither can reopen during Phase One of Gov. Steve Sisolak‘s multi-stage resumption of business as usual in Nevada, starting tomorrow. Most of the continuing closures … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Conventions, Cretins, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, G2E, Health, Massachusetts, Nevada, Technology, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments

Indian Country keeping pace with the times

Posted on May 8, 2020 by David McKee

By guest contributor Robb Monkman Certain things in life can be a gamble but what about personal safety? Or, in the case of casinos, what about the safety of staff? Of course the answer seems obvious. Admittedly, the well-being of … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Health, Illinois, Security, Technology, Tribal, Unite-Here | Comments Off on Indian Country keeping pace with the times

Vegas bingo on death watch; Nevada regulators dither

Posted on May 6, 2020 by David McKee

Bingo is such a staple of the Las Vegas locals casino that it seems unimaginable that it would go the way of the buffet and the dodo. But such may be the case. VitalVegas author Scott Roeben says he is … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Boyd Gaming, Crown Resorts, Downtown, Entertainment, Hawaii, Health, Idaho, James Packer, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Technology, Texas, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Fauci on sports; Churchill Downs “on track”

Posted on April 30, 2020 by David McKee

Bad news, sports bettors. Given the absence of widespread testing for Coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci is backpedaling on his projections that professional sports could resume this year. (As Fauci has said elsewhere, a model is just a model; when you … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Baseball, Churchill Downs, Crown Resorts, Economy, GameCO, Health, International, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Lawrence Ho, Lotteries, Marijuana, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Missouri, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Scientific Games, Sports, Technology, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Vegas: Welcome to the new normal

Posted on April 30, 2020 by David McKee

Phil Ruffin may have jumped the gun with that May 15 reopening date for Treasure Island. Gov. Steve Sisolak (D), without specifying a quarantine-lifting date, has extended a modified version of the Nevada lockdown into May. “We just have not reached … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, California, Downtown, Downtown Grand, Health, International, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Phil Ruffin, Regulation, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Technology, Tribal, TV, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment