Category Archives: Texas

Quote of the Day

Posted on September 12, 2019 by David McKee

“I was kind of nervous because whenever I say I’m Native American, people are like, ‘Well, you don’t look Native American.’ That can be disheartening. Going into the program I was a little nervous because I assumed everyone else was … Continue reading →

Posted in Oklahoma, Texas, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Chicago: Lightfoot’s folly; Penn mulls Trop expansion

Posted on August 19, 2019 by David McKee

Between 72% taxes and 30% operating costs, a Chicago casino is a money-losing proposition, at best one eking out a 3% profit. Union Gaming Group minced few words, reporting, “The [$15 million] reconciliation fee alone would wipe out any profits generated … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Churchill Downs, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Penn National, Politics, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | 4 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on August 5, 2019 by David McKee

“We are what we repeatedly do, and in this country what we repeatedly do is mow down civilians with .223-caliber semiautomatic rifles. The mass shootings pile on top of each other, occurring so close together this weekend that cable news … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Ohio, Texas | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Rosenstein rebutted; Kiddie slots in U.K.

Posted on April 15, 2019 by David McKee

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein received a smackdown from a federal court. Judge Paul Barbadoro ruled that not only had Rosenstein failed to convince him that New Hampshire‘s online lottery wasn’t covered under the new interpretation of the Federal Wire … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Bruce Deifik, Dining, e-sports, Georgia, Glenn Straub, International, Internet gambling, Marketing, MGM Resorts International, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Problem gambling, Puerto Rico, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Taxes, Texas | Comments Off on Rosenstein rebutted; Kiddie slots in U.K.

Danger, Will Robinson!

Posted on February 20, 2019 by David McKee

At a time when states are suing the Trump administration to preserve their online lotteries, a Florida legislator is moving in the opposite direction. State Rep. Will Robinson has introduced a bill that would permit only in-person sales of Florida … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Florida, Internet gambling, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Texas | Comments Off on Danger, Will Robinson!

Caesars: The Icahn factor; Troubled Tilman; Brownout

Posted on February 18, 2019 by David McKee

If you’re a company that wants to prove that its stock is undervalued, you’ve got a definitive case when Carl Icahn buys into your company. And if you’re Caesars Entertainment and Icahn suddenly holds 10% of your stock, you’re officially … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Carl Icahn, Don Barden, Eldorado Resorts, International, Japan, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mohegan Sun, Regulation, Security, Sheldon Adelson, South Korea, Taxes, Texas, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | Comments Off on Caesars: The Icahn factor; Troubled Tilman; Brownout

A tale of two Fertittas

Posted on February 13, 2019 by David McKee

Golden Nugget owner Tilman Fertitta is facing trouble close to home. $30.5 million in liens have been levied for unpaid work done at $400 million The Post Oak hotel in Houston. Like Sheldon Adelson, Fertitta blames the primary contractor and … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, GLPI, Louisiana, MGM Resorts International, Palms, Problem gambling, Reno, Sports, Station Casinos, Texas, Tilman Fertitta, Wall Street | Comments Off on A tale of two Fertittas

Sports books take Super Bowl hit

Posted on February 5, 2019 by David McKee

With 75% of bettors wagering on the New England Patriots, plus a “george” 53-1 side bet for in-store credit, FanDuel got taken to the woodshed during Super Bowl LIII, losing $5 million. “All of this combined to leave New England as … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Arizona, Economy, Genting, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Marketing, New Jersey, Politics, Problem gambling, Resort fees, Singapore, Sports betting, Taxes, Texas | Comments Off on Sports books take Super Bowl hit

Where Raiders go, trouble follows

Posted on December 13, 2018 by David McKee

It was announced today that the 2020 NFL draft will be held in Las Vegas. However, it could be like a ship stranded in a sand dune. The City of Oakland is suing the league and the Oakland Raiders for … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Texas, The Strip | Comments Off on Where Raiders go, trouble follows

Tilman covets Roman empire; Bellagio turns 20

Posted on October 18, 2018 by David McKee

Tilman Fertitta is the maverick among mavericks in the casino industry, beating veteran operators at their own game and doing it as some one who entered the industry as a novice and immediately began to strike gold. More recently, he’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Dan Gilbert, Dining, Economy, history, Internet gambling, MGM Resorts International, New Jersey, Sheldon Adelson, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta | 3 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 1, 2018 by David McKee

“Austin has become, in no uncertain terms, really an extension of Silicon Valley. All of the giants that devour engineers on a daily basis, like Google, like Apple, and companies that are in our space, like Scientific Games, or adjacent … Continue reading →

Posted in Scientific Games, Technology, Texas | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Suicide squeeze in Macao; Is Atlantic City ready for some football?

Posted on September 12, 2018 by David McKee

Most of Macao‘s casinos are playing a game of chicken with the local government, daring it to enforce its smoking ban. Only 12 of 47 casinos have installed smoking lounges. Personally, I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side … Continue reading →

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, Environment, Hard Rock International, Harrah's, International, Internet gambling, Kentucky, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Sports betting, Texas, Tribal, Virginia | 1 Comment

Culinary confronts Caesars

Posted on May 31, 2018 by David McKee

If Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli is any indicator, Wall Street is sanguine almost to the point of complacency about contract talks in Las Vegas. He calls the chances of a strike “low” although he thinks negotiations could drag on … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Charity, Culinary Union, Harrah's, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Taxes, Texas, Transportation, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Culinary confronts Caesars

Sports betting: A new era

Posted on May 15, 2018 by David McKee

Yesterday, the Supreme Court handed down its much anticipated ruling in Murphy v. NCAA and it was pure win for states and casinos itching to offer legalized sports betting, although there was some predictable disapproval. As Arizona Attorney General Mark … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Delaware, DFS, Eldorado Resorts, Election, Geoff Freeman, Harrah's, IGT, Illinois, Law enforcement, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Scientific Games, Sports, Texas, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Wall Street, West Virginia | Comments Off on Sports betting: A new era

Vegas soccer no sure thing; Scientific Games wins thrice over

Posted on March 16, 2018 by David McKee

A perspicacious gentleman named Steven R. Brown wrote the following on Facebook in response to my reportage of the apparent shelving of Wynn Paradise Park: “Steve Wynn‘s creativity can be outlandish at times (Like his idea back in the early … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Arizona, California, Charity, Detroit, Downtown, Environment, Florida, International, MGM Mirage, Missouri, Ohio, Scientific Games, Sports, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Sands Parisian a hit; The price is right for DFS in Massachusetts

Posted on February 19, 2018 by David McKee

We never thought of Sheldon Adelson as a big online guy but the Las Vegas Sands CEO felt it imperative to let the Hong Kong Stock Exchange know that Parisian Macao had racked up over five billion social-media impressions to date. … Continue reading →

Posted in DFS, Economy, Internet gambling, Macau, Massachusetts, Penn National, Politics, Sheldon Adelson, Texas, Tribal | Comments Off on Sands Parisian a hit; The price is right for DFS in Massachusetts

Enter the Aces; Dan Gilbert, failure

Posted on December 12, 2017 by David McKee

With a breathtaking lack of imagination, MGM Resorts International has settled upon a new name for its almost-as-equally-new WNBA franchise. It will be called — wait for it, folks — the Las Vegas Aces. At least it wasn’t “Las Vegas … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Dan Gilbert, Foxwoods, Galaxy Entertainment, Harrah's, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Ohio, Sheldon Adelson, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Sports, Stanley Ho, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 13, 2017 by David McKee

“If you want to sit in your ivory tower and pontificate about the integrity of your beloved game, why would you put one of your franchises within walking distance of several sports books?” — retired ESPN sportscaster Brent Musberger on … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Sports, Texas | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

MGM rebounds; Harvey victims have mystery casino benefactor

Posted on November 10, 2017 by David McKee

Commercials practically begging people to patronize the Las Vegas Strip after the Mandalay Bay massacre turn out to have been needless. The company most affected, MGM Resorts International, reports that hotel bookings are “almost back to normal.” “I’m happy to … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Charity, Cordish Co., Cosmopolitan, Galaxy Entertainment, Greenwood Racing, Harrah's, Macau, Mandalay Bay Massacre, MGM Mirage, Neil Bluhm, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Steve Wynn, Texas, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on MGM rebounds; Harvey victims have mystery casino benefactor

Freeman goes native; MGM hits a three-pointer

Posted on October 18, 2017 by David McKee

American Gaming Association President Geoff Freeman was in Oklahoma City yesterday to talk up the economic benefits of Native American gaming. While one might be tempted to say they speak for themselves, the AGA rolled out some pretty powerful numbers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Animals, California, Cosmopolitan, Florida, Foxwoods, George Maloof, Mandalay Bay Massacre, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Mohegan Sun, Oklahoma, Sports, Texas, The Strip, Tribal, TV | Comments Off on Freeman goes native; MGM hits a three-pointer