America‘s casino industry had a winning month in January, up 3.5% to $3.4 billion. Even Illinois, which has never recovered from 
the smoking ban, was in the top four, behind Nevada (naturally), Pennsylvania and Louisiana. The only serious loser was West Virginia, ground between the millstones of Maryland and Ohio, down 15%. Speaking of Louisiana, it did not fare so well in February, down almost 7%. The fact that 2016 had one extra day doesn’t quite cut it as an explanation for some pretty mystifying declines.
With the exception of Golden Nugget (up 7% to $12 million), the normally lucrative Lake Charles market got body-slammed. Pinnacle Entertainment‘s L’Auberge du Lac ($23 million) tumbled 14% while Isle of Capri‘s casino plunged Continue reading
sometime Congressman Steve King [R] made an effort). Current prexy Geoff Freeman, by contrast, plays on offense and on multiple fronts. An attempt to push the Internet-gaming agenda died ignominiously, the jury is still out on sports betting and Freeman is just beginning to be heard on health insurance for pathological gamblers (the AGA’s for it). However, when it comes to getting his talking points into the mainstream media, Freeman is a virtuoso, sometimes to the point — particularly on sports betting — where he’s driving the discussion.
opinion that the legal risks with the unusual deal “are not insubstantial and cannot be mitigated with confidence.” Let’s face it, Connecticut lawmakers were so panicked by MGM Springfield — and by losing the 25% of slot revenue they get from Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods — that they juiced the tribes into an arrangement of dubious constitutionality. Protecting the slot-revenue arrangement was of a higher priority than conducting an open process. The attorney general’s cautionary letter comes as the allied tribes had finally settled on a site, after much indecision, a defunct cineplex in East Windsor.
at a cost to existing casinos and the state lottery. None of the state’s 12 casinos wants to see slot routes legalized. Complicating matters still further, a rump faction of legislators wants to narrow the state’s options by 
Even Borgata ($58 million) was down a percentage point. Citywide, slot revenue was actually up to $132 million (+1.5%) but casinos took it on the chin from table games. Grossing $52 million, they were down 9%. Borgata was schizoid, down 5.5% in slot revenue despite 3% more coin-in. At the tables, revenue and wagering were both down 12%. The bright spot for the city was sensational Internet-gaming growth, up 27% to $19 million.
money, as it were, when he said, “Conservatives see RAWA for what it is—one of the worst forms of crony capitalism in Congress today. RAWA is nothing short of an effort by one of the richest men in the world to ban a form of competition for his brick and mortar casino empire – and everyone knows it. Worse yet, he is even willing to trample on the Constitution to do it.” It would also have the presumption to outlaw online state lotteries, already a facet of life in many U.S. jurisdictions. Sheldon would remake American gaming in his own image.
would require several weeks of due diligence before being formally announced, Sands and MGM have continue pretending that nothing is going on. However, two sources tell the Allentown Morning Call that the deal is practically done. The news has Wall Street analysts salivating. Some speculate that MGM could step aside and let its REIT handle the transaction. The lion 
down 11%. However, the fact that the declivity isn’t worse shows that MGM is growing the market, as it was intended to do. Despite generating almost $46 million in revenue, National Harbor was still a few decimal points behind Maryland Live. In terms of slot win per day, the two properties are running neck and neck, but when it comes to table win, MGM has a huge edge, with a probable $4,782/table/day against Live’s $2,921. The latter was 14% down from February 2016, while Horseshoe Baltimore ($22 million) ceded 12%.
“The bones of the Taj Mahal are as good as anything in town, and it’s something we felt we could do something spectacular with, from the height of the ceilings to the way the casino floor is laid out.” — Hard Rock International CEO Jim Allen, 
rumblings emerging from Bethlehem at face value. Deutsche Bank‘s Carlo Santarelli says the casino generates significant ROI for Las Vegas Sands but a sale 
A bill in the House would preserve the status quo, including giving the Seminole Tribe a 20-year extension on blackjack exclusivity. A more lavish Senate bill gives the tribe roulette and craps as well, possibly because it dilutes the market by opening the prospect of slot machines to several additional parimutuels.
name entered the discussion. You know where the story hasn’t been? Yup. Sheldon Adelson‘s very own Las Vegas Review-Journal. The business desk clearly got a memo from The Boss to ignore the story and have diligently stuck their heads in the Sands. Instead 
Morning Call. 
started by explaining why fourth-quarter numbers had been “coming in well below investor expectations.” Despite that, MGM posted a record amount of convention-related business in 2016, although if you thought MGM had more hotel rooms on the Las Vegas Strip than it could possibly use, think again. Execs said “the [Donald] Trump travel ban resulted in a little glitch in late January, but business is back to normal.” Reading the tea leaves, J.P. Morgan analysts see another round of resort-fee increases, probably toward year’s end. As one analyst put it, room revenues “at core properties are still not at prior peak, but resort fees do help quite a bit.”
gaming consumer continues to seem healthy and react positively to the stable economic environment, with little/muted reaction to political issues.” Boyd “expects more of the same.” The closest thing to a cause for alarm was ramped up promotional warfare in the Lake Charles market. For those seeking a rationalization of Boyd’s decision to double down on North Las Vegas with both Aliante Casino and Cannery Casino Resorts, Boyd execs said Aliante and Cannery drew from different demographic bases in the area. Additional acquisitions weren’t ruled out, although it didn’t