Grossing $209 million last month, the Atlantic City casino market continues to grow, up 12% in the dead of winter, even if it was 7% down on a same-store basis. That’s a tradeoff the industry will have to accept, as more competition is proving good for Atlantic City as a whole, if not always beneficial to incumbent operators. Slots were up 
11% (down 7% same-store) and tables bounced 17% (-6% same store). Borgata — $57.5 million — was flat overall but enjoyed a 9% bump at table games on 6.5% less wagering, while slot win was 5%. The Caesars Entertainment trio got thumped, down 14.5% and led by a 21.5% falloff in table win, on dramatically lower wagering. Over at Tropicana Atlantic City ($26 million), revenue was 2% down, with a 4% slip in slot winning negating a 6.5% increase in table win. Even so, Tropicana comfortably maintained the #2 spot, while Hard Rock Atlantic City and Harrah’s Resort tied with $23.5 million (-19% for Harrah’s). Caesars Atlantic City grossed $21.5%, off 10%, and Bally’s Atlantic City brought in $14 million, a 13% decline.
The only revenue-positive casino was Resorts Atlantic City, up 2% to Continue reading
statutory provisions are not uniformly limited gambling on sports events or contents … While the Wire Act is not a model of artful drafting, we conclude that the words of the statute are sufficiently clear and that all but one of its prohibitions sweep beyond sports gambling.” Fortunately, the OLC’s ruling does not have the force of law. Also, the First and Fifth Circuit Courts have held that the Wire Act 
potential Icahn takeover offers 
supposedly demanded the change but was sensible enough to leave casino prexy Frank Leone in place. The last thing that Ocean needs now is a learn-on-the-job managerial team. The new owner of Deifik’s share 
buffet, additional hotel suites, gaming floor improvements and more entertainment options.” It’s easier to rule out potential acquirers — Glenn Straub, Eldorado Resorts, Caesars Entertainment — than finger the owner-to-be. As for Deifik, it’s probably the path of least resistance to sell than to face Ocean Resort’s embarrassing failure to live up to his financial projections (first he forecast it would equal the Tropicana Atlantic City in revenue[($384.5 million], then said it would make $292 million in its first year; he’s come up woefully short on both counts). Ocean Resort quickly faded to the back of the pack, and fell further and further behind.
cantered past it to a $21 million finish, gaining 4.5%. Hoosier Park surged 12.5% to $16 million. Biggest gainer of all was French Lick Resort, up 14.5% to $9 million. Tropicana Evansville and Hollywood Lawrenceburg were flat, for $13 million and $15.5 million respectively. Rising Sun set 2%, to $4 million, while Boyd Gaming was pushing the right buttons at Belterra, up 5% to $10 million. In the northern tier of the Hoosier State, Horseshoe Hammond was becalmed but still pulled in $32 million. Primary rival Ameristar East Chicago gained 10% on the competition to finish at $19.5 million. Blue Chip continues to rebound from tribal competition at Four Winds Casino. For December it was up 7.5% to $13 million. As for the two Majestic Star boats, the first lost 
been played. Ooops. The Clemson Tigers proceeded to maul the Tide and add that $400,000 insult to the injury of FanDuel having to pay everyone sagacious enough to have bet on Clemson to win. Shades of FanDuel parent Paddy Power‘s rash decision in 2016 to pay $1 million ahead of time to punters who had Hillary Clinton winning the presidency. FanDuel 
casino to offer sports wagering, preceded by Hollywood Casino, near Harrisburg, Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh and SugarHouse in downtown Philadelphia. However, the action could be the heaviest at Parx parent Greenwood Racing‘s South Philadelphia Turf Club, an OTB located near Lincoln Financial Field & Stadium, as well Citizen’s Bank Field. It’s strategically sited to take advantage of those sports fans who want to take in live action but have a flutter beforehand perhaps. “We knew it was going to be a very busy week, based on the appetite we’ve seen in New Jersey and with other operators in Pennsylvania. Now the Eagles will be continuing in the playoffs, we expect to see even more activity,” said Matthew Cullen, Parx’s sports-betting supremo. Pennsylvania casinos are expected to take a big bite out of 
Cordish Gaming captured $50 million, up 6%. Horseshoe Baltimore fared no better than the Baltimore Ravens‘ playoff hopes, down 7% to $22 million. One star performer was way out west in Rocky Gap, where Golden Entertainment vaulted 18% to $4.5 million. Hollywood Perryville had a rare good month, up 9% to $6 million while Churchill Downs finished in the money at Ocean Downs, with table games powering a 45% surge to $5.5 million, Even with all the heavy action in Maryland, play is flowing back into West Virginia, buoyed 9% last month on 9% higher slot win and 7% more table-game revenue. Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races lagged the state average, grossing 
workforce, as well as the upcoming racino at Empire City in Yonkers. He added that room revenue and gross gaming revenue on the Las Vegas Strip were tracking comfortably ahead of MGM’s projections. Greff predicted a better entertainment calendar for 2019 (spelled “Lady Gaga“) and continued recovery at Mandalay Bay. Speaking of entertainment, everybody 
forward progress, Cordish 
these people, as it has prevailed upon CEO Mark Frissora to extend his tenure through April, 
deeply committed to eliminating sex trafficking and all other forms of human trafficking in our industry and beyond.” With those words, Jan Jones Blackhurst announced Caesars Entertainment‘s entrance into 
— but that has always been Reid’s style. The New York Times 
injured several hundred more. Determined to establish a cause, officials soon discovered the fire, which appeared to be set intentionally, had been started in one of the hotel’s elevator lobbies. With that, they developed suspicions of the hotel’s 23-year-old busboy, Philip Bruce Cline. Following a brief investigation, Cline was arrested for multiple counts of arson and murder. A year later, a jury ruled Cline guilty of all convictions and sentenced him to eight consecutive life sentences without parole. While tragic, the deathly Hilton fire helped ignite an international overhaul of building codes.
Sin City timeshares. According to the 
Pete Rozelle of e-sports? “By everybody’s prediction are more people who will be watching it in a few years than watch the NFL, NBA and baseball combined,” Berman told the Minneapolis Star Tribune, estimating the eventual size of the industry at $11 billion/year. “There are hundreds of millions of people who play e-sports on a regular basis throughout the world. We think that it is an emerging industry that has really got incredible growth potential and we are kind of in on the ground floor.” I don’t think many would dispute him. He likens the current state of e-sports to tribal gaming in the early Nineties. If that is the case, $11 billion may be a conservative estimate.