May’s cupboard empty

“Like the 1 October shooting, G2E can be a catalyst for an energetic opening of the overall industry … But in some ways, the shooter will always be there, like Covid-19. Certainly, we take precautions against the spread of Covid-19, with hand washing, mask wearing, cleaning surfaces, practicing social distancing, but until there is a vaccine, the virus will be with us for quite some time. And they many never discover a vaccine for a constantly mutating virus.” Really makes you want to attend a trade show, doesn’t it?

With slot-machine inventories winnowed by Coronavirus precautions and the possibility of having to retrofit existing inventory to go cashless, will buyers even have eyes for this year’s new slot product? Gros declares the question immaterial, writing that G2E is necessary for generation of warm fuzzies: “The traditional role of a trade show will be secondary as G2E becomes a rallying point—a reminder of what the industry is and what strives to become. G2E can be an important launch pad for an industry that needs a morale booster.” Gros, as he admits, has 17 years’ worth of skin in the game. But should the cream of the industry really be risking their health in order to join him in shaking their fists at Covid-19?

Reopening casinos was supposed to help people blow off steam. And how. An Ohio woman made bail after allegedly shooting another Hard Rock Cincinnati patron in the face in the wee hours of Sunday. The bail judge ordered the woman to stay away from Hard Rock. We’d suggest she avoid casinos altogether, as they don’t seem to bring out the best in her.

Eldorado Resorts‘ takeover of Caesars Entertainment has hit a snag. The Federal Trade Commission has been looking into complaints that the deal was anticompetitive. It agreed and has ordered Eldorado to divest itself of one Lake Tahoe casino and one in Shreveport/Bossier City (we’d guess low-grossing Harrah’s Louisiana Downs). It’s an opportunity for some market-savvy operator (Maverick Gaming?) to move in an make a killing.

Gambling is one percentage point more acceptable than marijuana and one point less than extramarital sex, at an all-time-high 71% rate. So says a study by Gallup. The polling numbers suggest a major cognitive dissonance between Americans and their leaders. Two-thirds approve of stem-cell research, for instance, and LGBT relations are accepted by the same number, while the most-approved-of activity is birth control (90%). Without drawing any conclusions, the higher your education level, the likelier you were to find gambling palatable. In any event, its standing has risen considerably since a 2009 poll found only 58% of respondents in favor of it.

Demographically, gambling was more popular with whites (76%) than non-whites (60%—there’s a marketing challenge for the American Gaming Association). Men liked it a bit more (72%) than women (69%). Differences of opinion did not change much by age group. Only 61% of conservatives were pro-gambling, versus 78% of liberals. On this issue, at least, the latter appear to be winning: A few states still hold out against gambling but in most that ship has sailed.

Jottings: Haste makes bad headlines? An electrical blaze at Circa brought out the fire department … Strip demand may be softer than MGM Resorts International initially reckoned. Reopening of The Mirage has been pushed back to August 6. MGM should have probably thought that through before booking guests into The Mirage in July and early August … Having famously taken Landry’s private, Tilman Fertitta is doing a semi-reverse and talking about an IPO of Golden Nugget Online Gaming. It’s definitely a company that’s going somewhere … We knew it. Cirque du Soleil has filed for bankruptcy. Living beyond its means finally caught up with it … It’s been a while since we heard about Phil Ruffin‘s lawsuit against his insurer for not covering business lost during the Coronavirus shutdown. But, judging by how “damage” is interpreted, he’s got an uphill fight.