Category Archives: Tribal

Everybody out of the pool!; Lean times in Indian Country

Posted on May 5, 2020 by David McKee

We were overly optimistic on when Nevada casinos can reopen. Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) has postponed that move until phase three or four of his four-step plan … which is also contingent on a two-week decline in new Coronavirus cases. … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Entertainment, Galaxy Entertainment, Hard Rock International, Health, International, Internet gambling, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, New Jersey, Regulation, Tribal, World Series of Poker, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Everybody out of the pool!; Lean times in Indian Country

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

Las Vegas breakthrough; Shoot the messenger

Posted on April 28, 2020 by David McKee

Las Vegas-based Avidium Labs says it has developed a Covid-19 test that has been validated at laboratories in California and New York. Said CEO Evan Louie, “Our team is diligently working on getting our tests to a wide range of … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, California, Dining, Genting, Health, Idaho, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Money laundering, Philippines, Resorts World LV, South Korea, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

New opening for ‘Net bets; Goodman still under fire

Posted on April 24, 2020 by David McKee

With gaming reeling—and tax revenues along with it—Internet gambling may start looking more attractive to states that have previously scorned it. Sports betting has taken the lead, with Colorado poised to enter that fray. However, Morgan Stanley analyst Thomas Allen … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Colorado, Culinary Union, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, GLPI, Health, Internet gambling, Morris Bailey, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Penn National, Real Estate, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, TV, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wisconsin | Comments Off on New opening for ‘Net bets; Goodman still under fire

Rescue for small casinos; Stitt makes a deal (or two)

Posted on April 24, 2020 by David McKee

If at first you don’t succeed, Bill Miller, try, try again. Persistence for the American Gaming Association prexy paid off with a new set of Small Business Administration rules for Paycheck Protection Program loans that include all business that receive … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Cantor Gaming, Economy, Las Vegas Sands, Lotteries, Mattress Mack, Oklahoma, Pets, Sports, Sports betting, Texas, The Strip, Tilman Fertitta, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal | Comments Off on Rescue for small casinos; Stitt makes a deal (or two)

Hiccup in Virginia; Sheldon’s retail therapy

Posted on April 21, 2020 by David McKee

Just when it seemed like casinos in Virginia were a done deal, some last-minute tinkering by Gov. Ralph “Blackface” Northam (D) could scupper the whole deal. Northam unilaterally amended the enabling legislation to redirect two-thirds of the tax collections from … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cretins, Economy, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Mohegan Sun, Pennsylvania, PokerStars, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Sports betting, Taxes, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Virgin Hotels, Virginia, Wall Street | Comments Off on Hiccup in Virginia; Sheldon’s retail therapy

Internet saves Atlantic City; Hope for sports bettors

Posted on April 16, 2020 by David McKee

On March 16, both Atlantic City and Detroit closed their casinos, but the Boardwalk had it somewhat worse, down 62% in the truncated month. (The numbers suggest that visitation may have been tailing off prior to the shutdown.) Atlantic City … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, Detroit, DraftKings, Eldorado Resorts, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, Health, Internet gambling, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Sports, Sports betting, Tilman Fertitta, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Tribes reel under pandemic; Lawyers: It’s OK to cheat

Posted on April 15, 2020 by David McKee

Although as many as 17% of tribal casinos may still be open, according to the American Gaming Association, that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of pain in Indian Country. Meister Economic Consulting, the go-to source on tribal gaming, estimates … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cirque du Soleil, Derek Stevens, Economy, Health, Mohegan Sun, Prostitution, South Dakota, South Korea, Tribal, Wall Street | 2 Comments

Culinary issues demands; Outlasting Coronavirus

Posted on April 13, 2020 by David McKee

In a Thursday media event, the Culinary Union called for casinos to continue paying their inactivated employees for as long as the Coronavirus crisis lasts. Said Unite-Here President D. Taylor, “The industry, obviously, is a very profitable industry. We don’t understand their … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Architecture, California, Culinary Union, Donald Trump, Economy, Galaxy Entertainment, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Marketing, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Nevada, Regulation, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Technology, Tribal, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Culinary issues demands; Outlasting Coronavirus

Boyd sacks workforce; Political wagering in West Virginia

Posted on April 10, 2020 by David McKee

Job cuts continue at Las Vegas casinos. Boyd Gaming employees are out of jobs starting tomorrow, although health benefits will continue through June 30. For a company that’s sitting on as much cash as Boyd, that’s a strange move. Boyd’s … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Charity, Cirque du Soleil, Cosmopolitan, DraftKings, Election, FanDuel, Health, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Sports, Sports betting, Technology, The Rio, Tourism, Tribal, TV, Wall Street, West Virginia, World Series of Poker | Comments Off on Boyd sacks workforce; Political wagering in West Virginia

Wynn sitting pretty; Trump Plaza damned, doomed

Posted on April 8, 2020 by David McKee

Wynn Resorts can sit out a Coronavirus crisis lasting 1.4 years. That’s how much cash ($3 billion) it’s sitting upon. First-quarter revenues took a 43% hit and are expected to come in somewhere in the $912 million-$969 million range. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Carl Icahn, Genting, Health, James Packer, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Singapore, Tribal, Twin River, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Sanders enters casino fray; MGM execs play the market

Posted on April 2, 2020 by David McKee

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), perhaps in a move to reinvigorate his comatose presidential campaign, has waded into the dispute between the Trump administration and the Mashpee Wampanoag. The origin of the tribe’s newly dissolved, 321-acre reservation is clouded by tribal recognition during … Continue reading →

Posted in Donald Trump, Economy, Election, Genting, Health, history, Horseracing, Illinois, Indiana, International, Jim Murren, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Tribal, Twin River, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Boyd opens its wallet, stringency at Scientific, improvidence at MGM

Posted on March 31, 2020 by David McKee

Boyd Gaming, which had previously been reported to be giving two weeks pay (misreported as one week by the Las Vegas Review-Journal) to employees idled in Las Vegas by the one-month casino shutdown, has gotten “george” and extended the hardship pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, China, Churchill Downs, Economy, Health, Illinois, Japan, Jim Murren, Kentucky, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Neil Bluhm, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Scientific Games, Sheldon Adelson, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Hard times for Atlantic City; Murren’s big payday

Posted on March 30, 2020 by David McKee

Atlantic City casinos have pink-slipped 6,000 workers as a gaming shutdown goes on indefinitely. Said Ocean Casino Resort CEO Terry Glebocki, “This is truly an unprecedented time not only for Ocean, but for everyone.” Unemployment claims in the Garden State … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Eldorado Resorts, Hard Rock International, Health, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Macau, MGM Resorts International, Morris Bailey, Ocean Resort, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Real Estate, Regulation, Sports betting, Tribal, Wall Street, Washington State | 1 Comment

Case Bets & Mega-Jottings

Posted on March 30, 2020 by David McKee

Former casino operator and regulator Richard Schuetz has some very stern words for his former colleagues and their (slow) response to Coronavirus. Sample: “The point is, in many of our gaming states, there was little concern about the employees of … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Charity, Donald Trump, e-sports, Economy, Health, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Massachusetts, Nevada, Penn National, Real Estate, Regulation, Tribal, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Case Bets & Mega-Jottings

Vegas in the time of Coronavirus; Trump squelches tribe

Posted on March 30, 2020 by David McKee

Las Vegas on lockdown is pretty spooky. It’s like a neutron bomb fell on the Strip, wiping out all the people and leaving the casinos intact. However, there may be a glimmer at the end of the April 17 tunnel. … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Donald Trump, Economy, GLPI, Health, history, Massachusetts, Penn National, Politics, Tribal, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Twin River, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Casinos in survival mode; Sports betting in Cali in peril

Posted on March 27, 2020 by David McKee

After this week’s stimulus vote in the U.S. Congress, the casino industry would seem to have ducked a bullet. But, depending on how much financial aid it can draw down, the question lingers over whether any operators will have to file … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Charity, Colorado, Economy, Election, Foxwoods, Full House Resorts, Golden Gaming, Health, Horseracing, Indiana, International, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Nevada, Oklahoma, Penn National, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on March 26, 2020 by David McKee

“Our major concern is the mobile gambling. We’ve been fighting that forever. Why would you get up on a 20-below-zero-day and come out to the casino when you could just sit at home?”—Minnesota Indian Gaming Association Executive Director John McCarthy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Minnesota, Sports betting, Tribal | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Under the Boardwalk; Premature panic in Virginia

Posted on March 25, 2020 by David McKee

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is taking the long view on casino closures—as in, what happens if they last two months? He’s measuring the negative economic impact at $1.1 billion. According to The Press of Atlantic City, “That figure encompasses … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Architecture, Atlantic City, Australia, Caesars Entertainment, Economy, Election, Florida, Foxwoods, Health, history, International, Internet gambling, Politics, Sports, Sports betting, Tribal, Virginia | 1 Comment

Poverty in the suites; Industry ramps up bailout pressure

Posted on March 23, 2020 by David McKee

Sheldon Adelson is worth $28 billion today. Which doesn’t sound so bad until you consider that he was worth $40 billion before the Wall Street crash. That’s the literal price of owning 432,000,000 shares of Las Vegas Sands. Not that … Continue reading →

Posted in AGA, Caesars Entertainment, California, Carl Icahn, Charity, China, Donald Trump, Economy, Elaine Wynn, FanDuel, GLPI, Health, history, Horseracing, Illinois, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Movies, New York, Phil Ruffin, Sheldon Adelson, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Mob, Tribal, Unite-Here, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Poverty in the suites; Industry ramps up bailout pressure