Commentaries

We all have favorite stories we tell more than once. Stories that are good for a laugh or dropped jaw. Stories that are pure Vegas. Like praying for departed poker players. Or the Hollywood starlet who circled a buffet table like a cheetah looking for prey before pouncing on an apple slice. With Binion’s celebrating its 65th anniversary and Caesars Palace celebrating its 50th, it seems like … [Read more...]

Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson went to his board of directors this spring with a proposal to fund a 65,000-seat domed football stadium in Southern Nevada. The board turned him down. So he’s willing to spend his own money to get the dome built — at least $650 million. And because the stadium’s $1.9-billion financing plan calls for the use of $750 million in hotel room … [Read more...]

DraftKings and FanDuel want to re-enter the Nevada market. Policymakers want the popular daily fantasy sports platforms back. That’s the easy part. More complicated are details of how that happens with the sides debating potential solutions in advance of a gaming policy group meeting aimed at establishing a path toward regulation. Representatives from the companies in the upcoming weeks … [Read more...]

Now the Riviera is history. The last two pieces of the storied Las Vegas Strip resort came down in middle-of-the-night darkness on August 16. With that controlled demolition, the Riviera, which closed May 4, 2015, officially came to an end. There were no fireworks and little fanfare. Former guests had found new places to stay, former employees moved on to the next thing (or not). With the … [Read more...]

Casinos in Missouri are driving big results -- such as generating $8 billion in tax and admission revenue over more than two decades -- while building strong ties with small businesses and community leaders. For these and many others reasons, the American Gaming Association (AGA) hosted its latest Get to Know Gaming event in St. Louis last week to shine a spotlight on the vital role the industry … [Read more...]

Time to rip up those betting slips. Megabet's a bust. 888 and Rank said on Thursday they would walk away from their audacious plan to merge and then immediately take over William Hill, their vastly bigger rival. William Hill was right to reject their overtures -- even after a raised offer its shareholders were getting less than half of the combined company, as well as some cash. That's … [Read more...]

As the national dialogue continues on sports betting and this year’s presidential campaign, I invite you to join the discussion of these topics and more during Global Gaming Expo (G2E), held September 26-29 at the Las Vegas Sands Expo Center. G2E will address all aspects of sports betting as an emerging and future priority for the gaming industry, including: Wednesday, September 28 from … [Read more...]

A young woman intent on getting into a slot machine area of Meadows Casino showed more determination than good sense. With guards checking IDs at each entrance to make sure all customers are over 21, the underage woman climbed up the side of a moving escalator and then tried to scale a 3-foot-high glass partition to reach the forbidden zone. Casino representatives stopped her short of her goal. … [Read more...]

The collective groaning by all who spend time in classrooms can mean only one thing: It’s back-to-school time in Southern Nevada. In some Nevada classrooms, the books are a little different, because they’re texts for classes with titles like “Accounting for the Gaming Industry,” “Sociology of Gambling” and “Casino Marketing.” Those are courses offered through programs coordinated by the … [Read more...]

The evolving gaming industry is reflected in its leadership changes In a move with big repercussions for the gaming industry, manufacturing giant Scientific Games recently announced that its chief executive officer, Gavin Issacs, is being replaced by former Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan. This is a major transition for Sci Games and reveals the direction the industry is headed. Issacs … [Read more...]

The controlling shareholders in Rank and 888 have thrown their weight behind an ambitious plan for a three-way merger with William Hill. They would have influential holdings in so-called "Megabet" if the combination actually happened. William Hill investors should be concerned about being relegated to minority status. An alternative deal structure would provide a remedy. Under Rank and 888's … [Read more...]

On Tuesday, a U.S. appeals court denied New Jersey's attempt to bring legalized sports betting to its casinos because it violated the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). This nearly 25-year-old federal law is failing, driving an illegal sports betting market of at least $150 billion annually. Law enforcement, mayors, leaders in sports, fans and now, state legislators, agree … [Read more...]

The idea of a mega-merger between three big U.K. publicly traded gaming groups looked a stretch when plans leaked in July. Confirmation of the details on Tuesday has underscored what a leap of faith it is. Rank and 888 are behind the plan. They want to merge and then immediately take over vastly bigger rival William Hill. Their bid proposal is worth 364 pence a share, or 3.2 billion pounds … [Read more...]

Heading into its 25th year, gaming in Mississippi is a proven partner for the state, especially on the Gulf Coast. In the latest of our Get to Know Gaming events that bring together the gaming community in markets across the country, AGA organized a robust roundtable event in Biloxi. As the Sun Herald reported, “the tour brought more than 100 people to the presentation at IP Casino Resort…the … [Read more...]

Investors in Macau's casino stocks don't have much of an appetite for the territory's home-grown hero. SJM Holdings, owner of the lotus-shaped Casino Grand Lisboa, doesn't just trade at a discount to local peers -- it's valued below even Las Vegas's casino stocks. If you compare the company's enterprise value to forecasts of Ebitda over the next 12 months, it looks more like an Appalachian … [Read more...]

The next couple of months are going to be huge for Wynn Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn. Later this month, he’ll be opening his $4.2 billion, 1,706-room Wynn Palace on Macau’s Cotai Strip. Then next month, he’s expected to brief his company’s board of directors on his Las Vegas plans, which include a $1.5 billion project called Wynn Paradise Park, the conversion of a portion of the Wynn Golf … [Read more...]

Caesars Palace has always been more than the sum of its parts. Yes, it’s just a place where people pay for rooms, eat dinner, watch shows and gamble. But there remains something compelling about the property. It may no longer be the highest-grossing on the Strip, and as of 2016 it still isn’t the oldest, but it might just be the most successful. Unlike the older Flamingo and Tropicana hotels, … [Read more...]

Taking one step Monday afternoon from the outdoor Toshiba Plaza into T-Mobile Arena brought more than a 30-degree temperature drop. With ice in place, a Zamboni making the rounds and fans checking it all out, the future home of Las Vegas’ NHL franchise felt like a full-fledged hockey venue for the first time since opening in April. “This is awesome,” said Andrew Patrick, a local 46-year-old … [Read more...]

Today, we kick off Responsible Gaming Education Week (RGEW), a week when the gaming industry shines a spotlight on an important issue that our members and broader industry commit to all year long. Gaming operators and manufacturers across the country will commemorate the industry’s responsible gaming efforts by holding dozens of local events and responsible gaming educational activities this … [Read more...]

Everyone knows the Las Vegas entertainment landscape has peaks and valleys. But this summer? “I feel like this is the abyss,” says Travis Cloer. In his eight years of playing Franki Valli in “Jersey Boys,” Cloer doesn’t recall such “a mass closing of live musical performances.” He’s not just talking about the Broadway hit bowing out of Paris Las Vegas on Sept. 18, putting 25 actors and … [Read more...]

Caesars Palace celebrates its 50th birthday on Aug. 6, marking its rich history as the Strip’s first truly “themed” hotel. To ably celebrate that milestone, we offer this list of 50 reasons to love Caesars Palace. There are doubtless many more than 50, but we’ll wait to uncork those for future anniversaries. Enjoy: 50: The 1996 Oscar de la Hoya-Julio Cesar Chavez boxing match, won by De … [Read more...]

Fans of blackjack, roulette and other table games account for a growing share of casino profit in Pennsylvania. Although slot machines bring in most of the gambling revenue, the casinos' win from table games has grown each year since their launch in July 2010, Gaming Control Board figures show. In 2010-11, Pennsylvania casinos grossed — or, put another way, players lost — $507.7 million at … [Read more...]

Earlier this month, the traveling public saw again that it doesn’t take an act of terrorism to create havoc on a city’s tourism economy. It can be something as simple as a bad router. I had the misfortune of living the Southwest Airlines system meltdown that began July 20 and wasn’t resolved for five days. Southwest’s problem was a malfunctioning router, a piece of computer hardware that … [Read more...]

It is still far from clear whether Southern Nevada will become the home of a 65,000-seat stadium that could bring the Oakland Raiders to the area. Numerous questions remain about the stadium project, which now has a price tag of $1.7 billion to $2.1 billion. Backers and tourism officials are still working through essential issues, including where the stadium would be built and how it would be … [Read more...]

For the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee, this was supposed to be the week for handshakes, high-fives and smiling farewells. Instead, it will be a week when committee members evaluate, deliberate and compromise. If they’re lucky, they may eliminate a few of the nine sites under consideration for a 65,000-seat domed football stadium that could someday house the NFL’s Las Vegas … [Read more...]

Two U.K. gaming groups want to buy William Hill -- a rival nearly twice their combined size. If they are to succeed, Rank and 888 will need to pull every lever, and have luck on their side too. Shares in William Hill closed at 313.6 pence on July 22, valuing the group at 2.7 billion pounds ($3.6 billion). Imagine a takeover bid at 416 pence per share. This would give shareholders an exit at … [Read more...]

As Democrats gather this week in Philadelphia to nominate Hillary Clinton for the presidency, the most striking feature of her limited and complicated record on gambling is its inextricable link to the career of her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Hillary Clinton’s first brush with gambling politics occurred in 1984 when she was the first lady of Arkansas, and campaigned against casinos … [Read more...]

The Hard Rock Hotel has come of age. In March, the purple-hued landmark on Paradise Road and Harmon Avenue turned 21. And we’re still celebrating. Here are 21 Things We Love about HRH. As they say, let’s rock: 21: Added to the blackjack pit this year: aerial artists! 20: The former Viva Las Vegas Lounge, which occupied the space now taken by the hotel’s Cantor Gaming sports book, was … [Read more...]

A recent Wendy’s hack exposed the credit card information of many of its customers. Coming on the heels of attacks on data ranging from infidelity dating site Ashley Madison to drug chain CVS to the U.S. government’s Office of Personnel Management, the Wendy’s breach is a reminder that our sensitive data isn’t as secure as we’d like it to be. Casino operators face challenges in keeping customer … [Read more...]

From the impact of the 2016 election on gaming to casinos’ opportunity to invest in eSports to appealing to the next generation of customers, this year’s Global Gaming Expo (G2E) will feature robust conversation on the industry’s hottest topics to prepare attendees for the rapidly growing casino gaming landscape. Presented by the American Gaming Association (AGA), the world’s premier … [Read more...]

As head of the organization that produces Las Vegas’ largest annual trade show, Gary Shapiro has some insight about convention space in the resort corridor. Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, the organization that puts on CES every year. The technology show brings a huge amount of visitors — and business — to Las Vegas: The most recent version in January drew … [Read more...]

Don't bother asking Alison Pendergast and Jeff Albert whether they saw any good shows on their Las Vegas trip, where they celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary. The poker-playing couple from Bridgeville spent 10 to 12 hours a day at the tables. They finished in the money in the first-ever tag-team event at the World Series of Poker, and Pendergast placed in three other tournaments, including … [Read more...]

Nevada’s largest gaming companies so far haven’t given heavily to presidential candidates or the political action committees that support them, Federal Election Commission filings show. Records show just a smattering of relatively minor contributions to back presidential candidates, most of them candidates who have since dropped out of the race, including Republicans Carly Fiorina and Chris … [Read more...]

A former Atlantic City casino owner will make history on Thursday when Donald Trump accepts the Republican presidential nomination at the Grand Old Party’s national convention in Cleveland. If you think the casino industry is excited about someone who used to be one of their own becoming a presidential nominee, you might want to think again. Trump is widely regarded by gambling professionals … [Read more...]

The Chinese are coming. And two companies developing casinos in Las Vegas are getting ready for them. Both are taking different approaches to getting a slice of the growing market, and you’ll never confuse one for the other. First in will be the Lucky Dragon Las Vegas, a 27,500-square-foot casino floor attached to a 203-room boutique hotel. The property — the first built from the ground … [Read more...]

Welcome to your new home, Oakland Raiders. OK, that's more than a bit premature, but Las Vegas appears to have come up with an ideal site for a stadium to house the team. It's the so-called West Tropicana site, a 100-acre piece of ground located a stone's throw from Interstate 15 and now anchored by Station Casinos' Wild Wild West property. News that the site had emerged as a potential … [Read more...]

China is mad for soccer, and the proof is with the bookies. In just the past month, police have seized tens of millions of dollars and arrested more than 500 people in crackdowns on gambling rings that surged in popularity during the UEFA European Championships. If they'd wanted to arrest more, they probably could have: China's illegal gambling industry is worth a staggering $600 billion annually, … [Read more...]

Every January, the modern-day Masters of the Universe flock to the Strip. From Wall Street and Silicon Valley they come for CES, where the Fetty Waps of the world play Google after-parties, and heavyweights from Intel to IBM showcase the future’s infrastructure. It’s the biggest trade show in a city of trade shows. But are the technological leaps on display a threat to the foundations of the … [Read more...]

It’s a thrill to ride roller coasters, especially the ones that creep to a towering perch, only to dive at breakneck speed, before returning to new heights in zero gravity. There’s nothing like it — unless you dive deep into gaming win statistics provided monthly by the state Gaming Control Board. Anyone who has regularly studied the numbers knows the extreme volatility of gaming win … [Read more...]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Donald Trump has promoted his casinos as historically successful and profitable, done in only by the economic decline of Atlantic City. "Every building in Atlantic City is in trouble. OK? This isn't unique to Trump," he said in 2010 deposition taken as part of a casino bankruptcy. But in the years when other Atlantic City casinos were growing, casinos carrying the Trump … [Read more...]

Is China's Gilded Age back? Three-and-a-half years after President Xi Jinping started his crackdown on corruption and lavish spending, there are signs that the belle epoque may be ready for one more round. Shares of Kweichow Moutai, the maker of $500-a-bottle firewater, hit a record Wednesday, and an index of Shenzhen real-estate prices has almost doubled in the past 12 months. Now Melco … [Read more...]

Almost every summer, Jimmy Vaccaro boards a train in Reno and heads home to the Pittsburgh area. The cross-country trip takes him through glamorous cities such as Omaha, Nebraska, where most riders probably pray the train does not break down or stop for any reason. Vaccaro goes the long way because he’s terrified of flying. He’s also no fan of wearing a coat and tie, but he put on a sport coat … [Read more...]

No matter when online gaming begins in Pennsylvania or any other state, don't expect an immediate flood of tax money or casino profit, a voice of experience says. “The reality is, it takes time,” says Matthew Katz, founder and CEO of CAMS LLC, a California company that provides software for online gambling operators in Nevada and New Jersey. “It's not all of sudden you go live and everybody … [Read more...]

We’ll have to endure the summer heat twice before we get to see the puck drop at T-Mobile Arena for the Las Vegas Whatever-We’re-Going-to-Call-Them hockey team competing in the National Hockey League’s 2017-18 season. Although thousands of local hockey fans have shown their appreciation to the NHL’s confidence in Las Vegas by joining an already robust season ticket list, anticipation is growing … [Read more...]

The idea that a Las Vegas casino could someday accept wagers on video game competitions might once have seemed unthinkable, but it has rapidly become a very real possibility. Already, the Strip has hosted thousands of people for major events dedicated to competitive video gaming, or e-sports, and one downtown casino has sought to become a hub for the activity. The action may soon spread to … [Read more...]

Donald Trump has had some fun lately with Elizabeth Warren’s self-proclaimed Native American ancestry. “Pocahontas is not happy, she’s not happy,” he said of Warren a few weeks ago. He re-upped on Monday, telling NBC News that Warren “made up her heritage, which I think is racist.” As we know by now, Trump has routinely dotted his speeches and embroidered his Twitter feed with references to … [Read more...]

The nightclub and dayclub industry has become big business for casinos along the Las Vegas Strip. State gaming regulators are now requiring resort operators to take a more stringent approach in monitoring activity inside club venues. These new regulations came out of the 2015 Nevada Legislative session and were approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission. Under the new regulations, casinos will … [Read more...]

The employees of Palace Station have seen it all in the 40 years the venerable locals casino has been open. A flood that turned the casino’s stairway entrances into waterfalls and the casino floor into a lake in the 1980s. A media circus swarming the place where O.J. Simpson and several of his associates were arrested for robbery in 2007. A train locomotive that wasn’t anywhere close to … [Read more...]

The potential for legalized sports betting has been debated since National Basketball Association Commissioner Adam Silver wrote a New York Times op-ed piece in 2014 suggesting that gambling on professional sports be allowed. The debate on legalizing sports wagering nationwide is still an active discussion. The 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act restricts sports betting to four … [Read more...]

At this moment in his career, Bill McBeath at once looks up to Steve Wynn and down on his famous designs. McBeath’s office at the Cosmopolitan overlooks the fountains of the Bellagio. It’s a nice view, certainly inspirational and even nostalgic, of one of Wynn’s greatest achievements. “I think he is the modern-day Walt Disney,” McBeath says of Wynn from his perch in that Cosmopolitan office, … [Read more...]

Southern Nevada’s once-pummeled construction industry has bounced back from the depths of the recession, with builders putting up housing tracts, apartment complexes, warehouses and retail plazas. But one type of project, a poster child for Las Vegas’ real estate craze last decade, is missing from local construction sites: residential towers. “Nobody in their right mind would build another … [Read more...]

It’s hard to fathom a scenario worse than what unfolded in Orlando, Florida, from June 10 to 14. A performer was shot at point-blank range. A gunman whose motives are still unclear shot and killed 49 people in a nightclub. A child was dragged away and drowned by an alligator. The unimaginably horrific nightmare of an alligator attack in the “happiest place on Earth” grabbed headlines in a … [Read more...]

Note from Cory Roberts, Associate Publisher: In addition to this article, I recommend this as an additional read - Counter-Strike player files suit against Valve over ‘illegal gambling’ surrounding CSGO. It is also worth noting that while sites like CSGO Lounge, Diamonds, and OPSkins faciliate illegal gambling, Valve doesn't see any of the money involved in the transaction (though it indirectly … [Read more...]

The casino industry overwhelmingly voiced its displeasure last year when the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) suggested that slot machine jackpot reporting requirements be lowered from $1,200 to $600. Gaming leaders from the 40 states that are home to land-based casinos, riverboat casinos, race track casinos, and Indian casinos, said reducing the jackpot levels would create an unnecessary … [Read more...]

Financial and betting markets stunningly miscalculated the outcome of Britain's referendum on leaving the European Union. They can't put the blame entirely on last-minute polls pointing to a vote in favor to remain. Resident in the south-east of the U.K., London-based financial workers doubtless had no intuitive feel for the weight of support for the "Leave" campaign in England outside … [Read more...]

After years of hoping for a big-time sports franchise, Las Vegas today officially joined the ranks of a major league sports city. It’s about time. An NHL team in Las Vegas is a win for Nevada, a win for casino gaming and a win for fans. As a passionate Washington Capitals fan and someone who makes many business trips to Las Vegas every winter, I’m excited to catch a few road games when the … [Read more...]

With several presentations vying for attention at the same time at last week’s 16th International Conference on Gambling and Risk Taking, it wasn’t too surprising that it was a small and mostly local crowd that showed up to hear four panelists talk about opening day at The Mirage more than 25 years ago. Wynn Resorts Ltd. Chairman Steve Wynn had just dazzled the more than 600 people from 30 … [Read more...]

In the latest sign of progress in the effort to repeal the failed federal ban on sports betting, more than 30 law enforcement leaders gathered last week for the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) first Law Enforcement Summit to better understand the massive illegal sports betting market in the United States and what steps can be taken to address it. The Summit, led by members of AGA’s Illegal … [Read more...]

There is a billion-dollar market for online eSports games like Call of Duty and League of Legends. Such contests are filling stadiums around the world and attracting millions of viewers online. ESPN is investing heavily in eSports coverage. But for the gambling world, eSports has been the looming quiet giant while daily fantasy sports and Internet gaming have grabbed the attention. Unlike daily … [Read more...]

A glass of whiskey beside him, Las Vegan Ron Conway, 45, smirks as he strokes his salt-and-pepper-colored goatee, lifts his dark sunglasses and slowly rakes in a stack of chips worth just under $300 at Binion’s in downtown Las Vegas. Less than an hour later, Paul Patton, wearing a bright red Margaritaville T-shirt and gnawing on a toothpick, collects a stack of his own after catching a second … [Read more...]

Millennials use four terms to describe slot machines to researchers: “boring,” “something for my grandma,” “confusing” and “anti-social” — so here are five ways casinos might adapt. Today’s expert is Roberto Coppola, director of consumer insights for YWS Design & Architecture, a firm behind Topgolf, slowly emerging Alon hotel, and other projects. Experiential payouts: Millennials value … [Read more...]

A new Las Vegas casino. Ten years ago, that wasn’t such big news. Opening a new property on the Strip seemed as hard as throwing a quarter into Lake Mead. Then the recession hit and, as the bulk of the Fontainebleau and failed (but hopefully soon to rise in new guises) Plaza and Echelon projects prove, that’s no longer the case. No new casinos have opened in Las Vegas since the Cosmopolitan in … [Read more...]

The good news is that, thanks to The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, we don’t need another Broadway musical to replace “Jersey Boys” at Paris Las Vegas. But wouldn’t it be fun? The hit bio of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons landed on the Strip in April 2008, four years before The Smith Center. Casinos seeking any alternative to Cirque and more Cirque were still working hard to make … [Read more...]

You're playing blackjack and have been dealt two nines. What do you do? Stand pat and hope you're close enough to 21 to win? Or split your hand and turn it into two games? That's essentially the wager that Crown Resorts, the casino company controlled by Australian billionaire James Packer, is offering investors. Hitherto, it's offered investors a decent combination of risk and reward: Two … [Read more...]

I'm certain ol’ Soren Kierkegaard didn’t have hockey in mind when defining a leap of faith, an act of believing in or accepting something intangible or unprovable, or without empirical evidence. But it sure applies to Las Vegas today. The term first used by a Danish philosopher in the 1800s is exactly what the NHL has made when it comes to the city welcoming a major league professional … [Read more...]

Contrary to what was slurred into your ear that one time, what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas. Which brings us, of course, to utilities. These traditional refuges of widows and orphans aren't normally associated with casinos. But something strange just happened on the strip. Two of its bigger denizens, MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts, decided to ditch their local … [Read more...]

The flamboyant guests in Grant Philipo’s living room are dressed in scanty yet elegant costumes dripping with crystals, feathers and glitz. They are six mannequins, carefully arranged in a tableau, standing with hands raised or hanging by their sides. Together, their elaborate headdresses and finely crafted body pieces form a cornucopia of retro glamour. These aren’t knockoffs from a pop-up … [Read more...]

The attorneys sat next to each other on one side of Ballroom H. The judge, a former gambling regulator, sat on the other side of the room, flanked by a podium bearing the logo of the Mirage. The jurors, not “12 Angry Men” but 38 casino industry experts, sat in the audience considering both sides of the case. On trial was a familiar question: Should daily fantasy platforms, such as DraftKings … [Read more...]

Excerpts from LeadWell – the Ten Competencies of Outstanding Leadership (1 of 2) Competing Competencies One of the greatest myths of leadership is that all needed competencies cannot be engaged at the same time and used consistently together. Some people believe that as you use one competency set, another one of the competencies will wane. This myth assumes that all skill and the ability of … [Read more...]

Preface  “Leadership is the art of getting people to do something because they want to do it.” - Dwight Eisenhower “Leadership is the art and science of getting people to do something because they want to do it for you.” - Tim Schneider Corollary to the Eisenhower Quote For twenty years we’ve had the best seats in the house. Fifty yard line. Front row. Orchestra box. Luxury suite. … [Read more...]

Who really arrived at the observation that Hard Rock Hotel is a decidedly masculine resort? Was it Jody Lake, who runs the hotel? Or was it actor Channing Tatum, who is producing a male revue set to open next spring at the Hard Rock? Probably Lake. “Hard Rock has been a very male-centric property for a long time,” Lake said recently. “We need a more female audience. It’s like the old saying, … [Read more...]

The music stopped, but the singer kept rolling. “Wait! That’s us!” Bruno Mars called out to his band, the Hooligans, pointing at a billboard at West Sahara Avenue and the Strip. Sure enough, there was the pop star’s name, next to other headliners Taylor Swift, No Doubt and Metallica. “On the billboard!” Mars shouted, laughing. “Right there!” This playful moment unfolded on the final night of … [Read more...]

Raymond “Pete” Ruffin Sr. thought he was going to his son's wedding when he arrived at 3 Lakes Golf Course in Penn Hills. Surprise No. 1: The gathering actually was a celebration of his 76th birthday. Daughter Rolanda Ruffin-Williams, who organized the party, concocted the wedding story to make sure Pete wouldn't skip out for a trip to the casino or race track, favorite haunts for the retired … [Read more...]

A Las Vegas slot manufacturer is turning to its corporate roots to launch its next slot machine and additional ones in the future to grow its market share in Nevada and the rest of North America. Konami Gaming recently installed its Frogger-themed slot machines in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas as part of a test run. The slots were installed earlier this month in California and will be added to … [Read more...]

Those nearest to China are among the hardest hit as growth in the world's second-largest economy grinds to the slowest pace in a quarter century. Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan all saw their economies shrink in the first quarter, while Mongolia's commodities-fueled boom has faltered. And the bad news doesn't stop there. "The ripples are likely to spread further out," said Frederic Neumann, … [Read more...]

I can always count on Road Warrior readers being predictable. After a fairly thorough look at any traffic or road situation, I can count on readers hitting me up with related questions about the topic, often things I hadn’t even thought about. That’s what I like about you folks. You’re paying attention. And that’s one of the things I’m going to miss in the future. But more about that … [Read more...]

How many arenas are too many? How many are enough? In Las Vegas, we’re about to find out. Announced last week was a partnership between Las Vegas Sands and Madison Square Garden for a 17,500-seat entertainment venue to be built on the parcel currently being used for storage facilities on Sands Avenue between Koval Lane and Manhattan Street. Not quite on the Strip, but a few somersaults … [Read more...]

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Adam Silver gets it, and he's going to keep repeating it until people finally listen. Forget the conspiracy theories about No. 1 picks and why Draymond Green gets to play after a couple well placed kicks. I'll give Silver a pass on that, though his plan to put ads on uniforms crosses a line of no return. But when it comes to sports betting, the NBA commissioner is one of the … [Read more...]

A bunch of millennials playing video games on a Saturday night in Las Vegas. Not too long ago, that might have been a casino operator’s nightmare. But in the last few months and with accelerating velocity, competitive video game playing—e-sports, as it is best known—has become a reality, just steps away from roulette wheels and slot machines. With an e-sports scene thriving in Las Vegas, … [Read more...]

The freak show that Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Connor McGregor are talking about will almost surely never happen, and for that anyone who would even consider opening their wallet to pay for it should be grateful. It's strictly fodder for online babble, no matter how much either man tries to convince people otherwise. Both seem desperate for attention in floating the idea of a match between a … [Read more...]

Earlier this month, MGM Resorts International fired the shot heard ’round the valley — the long-awaited details of the company’s $90 million parking strategy that begins June 6. One of the big takeaways of MGM’s announcement was that parking will be free to Nevada residents for 24-hour periods at least until Dec. 29, when the company will evaluate what it will do next. So how does MGM … [Read more...]

The debate over whether Daily Fantasy Sports are games of chance or games of skill should trigger a new look at gambling laws across the United States, a new think-tank report says. “Gambling, whether on the lottery, at the casino, or betting online on the big game, is a legitimate means of recreation,” says the Competitive Enterprise Institute study titled Game Changer. “Rather than enforcing … [Read more...]

Such is the life of Bill Boyd: One moment, he’s sequestered in a board meeting in Phoenix for Western Alliance Bancorporation, the holding company for Bank of Nevada. The next, he’s steeled away a few minutes to talk of a time when he was a 10-year-old kid in Las Vegas “when there were only 15,000 people in the whole valley.” Boyd speaks from high altitude and at ground level when he talks of … [Read more...]

In 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit decided an important insider trading case, U.S. v. Newman, ruling that a person who trades on tips from a corporate insider isn't guilty of insider trading unless (1) the insider got some sort of quid pro quo for the tips and (2) the "tippee" knew about the quid pro quo. So the Second Circuit overturned the convictions of two hedge fund … [Read more...]

Last summer was horse racing’s time to shine. Bob Baffert, the snowy white-haired trainer who is arguably the sport’s most recognizable figure, delivered something that had been missing since the 1970s. Baffert devised the game plan, and American Pharoah delivered the Triple Crown, which many hoped would serve as a magic tonic for a sport stuck in a downward spiral. American Pharoah and … [Read more...]

Submitted for the record to the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade The American Gaming Association (AGA) represents America’s commercial and tribal casino operators, gaming manufacturers, suppliers and other businesses affiliated with the licensed casino gaming industry. We are a national industry that operates in 40 states, supports 1.7 million jobs and contributes $240 … [Read more...]

Last year, I wrote that locals gaming was on the rebound (“Locals Casinos Are Back in Business,” July 8). At the time, several indicators suggested it was in the midst of a resurgence after several rough years. Its revival has become even more apparent thanks to recent moves by two locals giants. Boyd Gaming has gone on a casino-buying spree, snatching up the independent Aliante (which was … [Read more...]

Over the past year, public interest in daily fantasy sports (DFS) has exploded. This growing popularity has raised important questions about the appropriate regulatory environment, the adequacy of federal and state gaming laws and the best way to protect consumers and the integrity of games. Today, Congress held a hearing to examine these issues. The hearing, “Daily Fantasy Sports: Issues and … [Read more...]

The presumptive Republican nominee for president has spent the last several days scrambling to clarify his self-contradictory statements on everything from tax reform and the minimum wage to interest rates and the national debt. “I am allowed to change,” Donald Trump told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos when queried about some of this flip-flopping. Give Trump his due, though. However … [Read more...]

In the late 1970s, as Jimmy Vaccaro tells the story, there were times when ticket writers in Strip sports books would fall asleep behind the counter because there was so little action. And that was Super Bowl week. Vaccaro has seen almost everything there is to see during four decades as a Las Vegas bookmaker. Still, he was blown away in February, and then blown away again in … [Read more...]

April was a big month for Boyd Gaming Corp. The Las Vegas-based casino operator, which came into the month owning nine casinos in the Las Vegas Valley, announced it would spend hundreds of millions of dollars to buy three more: the Aliante and Cannery in North Las Vegas, and the Eastside Cannery on Boulder Highway. In making those moves, Boyd placed a heavy bet on locals. Through its $380 … [Read more...]

It's great having a hand full of aces if that's the highest card in the deck. If the rules change and it reverts to being the lowest, you're in trouble. That's a lesson that Macau's casino operators have been learning during the long descent for gambling spending that followed the peak at Lunar New Year in 2014. Exposure to the territory's gaming tables used to be a cherished asset. These days … [Read more...]

Casino bosses who agonize about blackjack card-counters might be focusing on the wrong type of advantage player, a top gambling mathematician says. Instead, they should look closer at the “lucky idiot” who repeatedly plays poorly yet amasses huge winnings, says Eliot Jacobson, owner and president of Jacobson Gaming and operator of www.apheat.net , which analyzes casino games, side bets and … [Read more...]

Two decades after Michigan voters approved the introduction of casino gaming, the industry is delivering big for the City of Detroit. From providing good jobs to delivering unmatched tax revenue and valued partnerships, AGA's latest Get to Know Gaming event highlighted these benefits to community leaders, policymakers and media, demonstrating once again how gaming is a strong community … [Read more...]

Primarily naked, dancing men are to descend on the Hard Rock Hotel. “Magic Mike Live,” the brainchild of Channing Tatum of the movie of the same name, is set to open at the hotel in March. “We’ve got a big announcement — we are going to be doing 'Magic Mike Live' in Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel casino in March of next year,” Tatum said in a hastily assembled video announcement posted today … [Read more...]

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake Tribune's pending sale to the wealthy Huntsman family unshackles the newspaper from cost-cutting corporate owners and resolves crippling financial uncertainty — but it also raises concerns about whether the influential family will meddle in the paper's coverage. The same question has come up after other recent newspaper purchases by millionaires — an emerging … [Read more...]

When I explain to folks how long I have lived in Las Vegas, I tell them, “I have lived here as long as the Stratosphere.” True. I moved to Las Vegas from Redding, Calif., the weekend of April 30, 1996. I was living temporarily (aren’t we all?) in an apartment on West Sahara Avenue, and the first day I woke up, the new hotel was practically casting a shadow over my new dwelling. “This is … [Read more...]

Showered with boos on a rain-soaked weekend in Chicago, Roger Goodell told the draft crowd to “bring it on” in a rare show of his sense of humor. The NFL commissioner knows he’s unpopular, and he’s embracing the hate. Maybe someday Goodell will be forced to embrace Las Vegas, a gambling mecca that he always has viewed with an evil eye. The story of the Raiders and owner Mark Davis’ … [Read more...]

Even at my advanced age (joking!) I still remember kindergarten. Miss Mauter (4’6” high – perfect for her job) taught us how to count, memorize our ABCs, tie our shoes, and do simple math. One thing she did not teach us was that 1+1+1=10, despite the attempts of many people to prove that very equation. A few days ago WalletHub (a consumer-finance website) released a study entitled “2016’s Most … [Read more...]

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority recently released its 2015 visitor profile study. This report, based on interviews with Vegas visitors, charts the behavioral and demographic shifts in the population of those who come to town. The results for this year raise more questions than they answer. By this point, the most shopworn truism about Southern Nevada tourism is that people no … [Read more...]

LAS VEGAS (AP) - This is a town built on taking money from people, not giving it to them. But when the NFL comes calling, all bets may be off. What seemed unimaginable just a few months ago may no longer be such a stretch. Pair one of the world's richest men with a team eager to escape Oakland and, who knows, even the most hardcore NFL owners might be persuaded to give this gambling city a … [Read more...]

Would a casino in a small desert town in California offend God?  Some appear to think it would.  At a public meeting on the casino project, Pastor Wayne Porter posed this question: “Do we want to risk the displeasure of God for $395,000 a year?”  To me it seems highly unlikely that a tiny casino in a tiny town would be a concern for the ruler of the entire universe.  But, what do I … [Read more...]

“Pulling out a camera on some people is like pulling out a loaded gun,” our newspaper’s photographer told me two decades ago. The location? We were covering a county fair. So I totally understand the reactions of some patrons to cameras at a casino. They don’t want their loved ones to know they are gamblers. Or, worse, they fear being robbed because they may be (thought to be) carrying more … [Read more...]

Washington, DC - American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Geoff Freeman released the following after Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Director Jennifer Shasky Calvery announced her departure from the agency: “We’ve appreciated the chance to work with Director Shasky Calvery and commend her leadership in protecting the U.S. financial system from illicit activity. As FATF … [Read more...]

Casinos of the not-too-distant future will offer many more ways for people to place their bets, says an executive for a national consulting company. In addition to tried-and-true slots and table games, gamblers will be able to test their luck at skill-based machines that allow them to influence the outcome, to gather in lounge-like sports books to track the action of their favorite teams or … [Read more...]

The week of the opening of Red Rock Resort in April 2006, I toured the property with the president of the hotel, Scott Kreeger. I recall him being especially responsive to my questions about Rocks Lounge, Cherry nightclub and the new sports book. Kreeger said I would be spending a lot of time at the hotel, and he was right. Over the past decade, I’ve made Red Rock Resort a fairly regular stop, … [Read more...]

As the United States nears 25 years with a federal law that has driven trillions of dollars in sports betting to the black market, experts from around the globe gathered at a standing-room-only event on Capitol Hill Wednesday to discuss the threat unregulated gambling poses to the integrity of professional and amateur sports and possible ways to strengthen the law. Led by the American Gaming … [Read more...]

Among the many weighty questions that Russia's government has struggled with in recent months -- of war and peace, budget cuts and sanctions -- is this one: Is poker a game of skill or chance? The answer is far from trivial. It will go a long way to determining whether Russia can legalize online poker, and so bring the craze for the game which has swept the nation in recent years within reach … [Read more...]

Thank you. I’m proud to be here today representing the American Gaming Association. Protecting the integrity of games is vital to sports leagues, professional athletes and fans everywhere. As sports betting explodes in popularity, this mission is growing even more urgent. Companies like Genius Sports are harnessing the power of data analytics to track patterns in wagering. They provide leagues, … [Read more...]

In May, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade will hold hearings on fantasy sports.  The topic hit the national consciousness last September when FanDuel and DraftKings spent hundreds of millions of dollars advertising their product on Monday Night Football.  It ranks as one of the most debated subjects thus far in 2016.  So it is not surprising that … [Read more...]

The careworn and condemned Riviera, which opened on this day in 1955, has been called many things over the years. But I’ll wager “a hotbed of Strip history worth preserving” is well down the list. Worth fumigating, yes. But worth saving from a demolition crew? Officially, the Riviera’s historical value is what has motivated Kelden Engel, described in published reports as a Nevada State … [Read more...]

There are some things that state legislatures can do reasonably well, including hammering out budgets and passing bills to address general issues faced by a state. But setting slot rules, issuing casino licenses, and deciding on gambling protocols should be left to those with a longtime background in such matters, argues State Senator Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach. In four of the past five years, … [Read more...]

As it marks the one-year anniversary of its fight against illegal gambling, the American Gaming Association (AGA) announced that it will host a major law enforcement summit in June to further strengthen the partnership between the gaming industry and all elements of the law enforcement community. AGA also launched a new website – StopIllegalGambling.org – to serve as an information hub. The … [Read more...]

It was a conversation about a new show, to be called “Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers.” But as is the case with so many conversations with Wynn, this one required every club in the bag. It was Halloween 2014 at Wynn’s office at Wynn Las Vegas. He was happily talking about this new show at Encore Theater, but he answered to speculation about plans for the famous Wynn Golf Club golf course behind Wynn … [Read more...]

The Orleans is going after a new crowd — or a bigger one, at least. That should be apparent to guests who step inside the off-Strip casino these days. Standing out from the usual New Orleans-themed trappings and standard storefronts are two restaurants that recently debuted. Their stylish, modern decor and trendy food instantly set them apart. Ondori Asian Kitchen and Alder & Birch … [Read more...]

Plans for a domed 65,000-seat football stadium near McCarran International Airport likely will not be derailed by conflicts over the facility’s height, according to a consultant’s analysis presented publicly today. A map shown to the UNLV Campus Improvement Authority indicated that, at least for much of the 42-acre site proposed to house the stadium, the facility’s height would not obstruct … [Read more...]

I read with interest your recent opinion in CDC on the status of expanded gaming in Massachusetts. I would like to request a correction on factual inaccuracies to clarify misinformation provided to your readers. As noted in your article, the Commission is looking forward to the launch of a new pilot program developed as part of our comprehensive responsible gaming strategy. The PlayMyWay system … [Read more...]

No one in the gaming industry is as entertaining as Steve Wynn.   He may fly below the radar for short periods of time, but then he bursts out with an announcement of something startlingly new and different.  Just when it seems Wynn has his hands full with his ex-wife, building a casino in Boston and construction delays in Macau, Steve surprises us again.  Wynn is going to build a new resort in … [Read more...]

The Moulin Rouge was one of the shortest-lived—and historic—casinos in Las Vegas. Doubly significant for its role in the history of civil rights in the Valley, the property’s deterioration created both a physical and spiritual blight on the surrounding Westside community, as a series of redevelopment plans came to naught. But a new ownership group with strong ties to the community insists that the … [Read more...]

South Floridians are among the nation’s most impulsive, impatient people, whose frustrations include crowded highways and the cacophony of multiple languages in malls and restaurants. That impatience shows up in casino card rooms. The region is likely the high hand poker capital of the world, with rooms often awarding $500 for the player who has the best hand during a 30-minute period – overall … [Read more...]

Educating elected officials and other stakeholders about today’s gaming industry is as important as ever after Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf proposed levying an eight percent tax on free play. AGA promptly replied with a letter to the Governor, saying that “taxing promotional credits would likely lead to a decrease in tax revenue from casinos – the exact opposite of the intended result." Further, … [Read more...]

Not so long ago, few people thought you'd ever be able to place a legal bet on the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates or other teams at an American sports book outside Nevada. Times and attitudes can change quickly. The president and CEO of the American Gaming Association predicted last week in Pittsburgh that sports betting will be legal across the country in three to five years. “The next … [Read more...]

You’ve heard the hype. The 20,000-seat T-Mobile Arena will draw better shows, bigger convention groups and maybe even an NHL team. Fittingly, the copper-clad arena adjacent to New York-New York and the Monte Carlo is an in-the-moment, Vegas-style showplace, which demands more than just seats with good sightlines and a solid lineup of shows: It combines luxe with modern hospitality. The arena’s 44 … [Read more...]

The timing couldn’t be worse for Steve Wynn. The Wynn Resorts Chairman and CEO on Wednesday announced a lofty, 1,000-room, $1.5 billion expansion plan for his local resort-casino. It would feature a 38-acre lake, so at least we know the drought is over. Wynn is also embroiled in a nasty battle with ex-wife Elaine Wynn over control of her nearly 10 percent of the company. Thanks to a court … [Read more...]

Nebraska is the latest state to discuss the expansion of gaming. It is in the process of establishing a renewed public policy regarding gambling. Whether it will be “good” public policy or “bad” policy remains to be seen.  The facts are pretty straightforward. The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska would like to build a casino at a race track in South Sioux City. The tribe’s economic development arm, … [Read more...]

Nevada’s largest cab company, Yellow-Checker-Star, in early 2014 hired me to drive a cab, and the Nevada Taxicab Authority issued me the placard to do so. Whether or not they regret those decisions now, I do not know. But I drove a cab for five weeks, from 1 a.m. to 1 p.m., after freelance work dried up during a slow holiday season, and before I landed my current job covering the Nevada … [Read more...]

Historians have noted the disdain with which gambling has been viewed in Massachusetts, all the way back to the Puritans of the 1600s, who banned cards and dice. Those documenting today’s events have plenty of similar facts to record. Despite public votes supporting gambling, anti-gambling sentiment has managed to keep the state well behind its neighbors – and Massachusetts residents may have lots … [Read more...]

The document is heavily redacted, but the message is clear. Elaine Wynn is trying to raise the stakes in her battle with ex-husband Steve Wynn over control of her share of Wynn Resorts Ltd. Attorneys for Elaine Wynn late Monday filed a redacted version of her motion for approval to file a fifth amended counterclaim and crossclaim in her attempt to pry loose her 9.2-percent ownership interest in … [Read more...]

The Pac-12 men’s college basketball tournament was a bloodbath for most of its participants. Stanford and Washington State got crushed in the first round on March 9. In the March 12 title game, Utah was slaughtered in a 31-point loss to conference champion Oregon. But perhaps the biggest loser that second weekend in March was the tournament’s host site, the MGM Grand Garden. Before the … [Read more...]

The same week he selected his nominee for the Supreme Court, President Barack Obama filled out his March Madness bracket in a nationally broadcast event that has become an annual White House tradition over the last eight years. The President’s bracket is just one of 70 million that were completed by more than 40 million Americans this year, and the number of brackets completed is more than the … [Read more...]

The big day is finally arriving! On Wednesday, MGM Resorts International and Anschutz Entertainment Group open the T-Mobile Arena with a concert by The Killers. We all know what that means: higher numbers of clueless people trying to find their way around; incessant whining about having to pay for parking; more idle threats from people who say they will never patronize MGM again — until, of … [Read more...]

Not much has changed in Macau, not in a year or even two years.  The only difference I see reading the region’s English language media is an increase in coded messages from mainland China and the Chinese Communist Party.  The messages hint at a different kind of future for casinos in Macau.  The casino news remains the same, revenues are on a downward trend due to the loss of VIP gamblers caught … [Read more...]

In the throes of March Madness, sports betting is just about omni-present in Las Vegas. States across the nation are legalizing daily fantasy sports. Locally, speculation about possible NHL tenants of the T-Mobile Arena or the wisdom of building a UNLV stadium that may host an NFL team is dominating much conversation. That makes this a good time to consider the evolving relationship between Las … [Read more...]

In the past decade, while most of the nation’s pari-mutuels zigged toward building slot businesses, Gulfstream Park zagged – doubling down on horse racing. And a lot of people doubted the decision. Horse racing is a dying industry, those people reasoned. (FYI, they included me.) Sure, you can prop up horse racing for at least a few years, if you can get the slot and poker players to leave the … [Read more...]

When you’re new to Las Vegas, you might not be familiar with some of the road rules that many of us take for granted. And then there are those a) know the rules and choose to ignore them, b) don’t know the rules and couldn’t care less, or c) drive as if there are no rules. But every once in awhile, there are newbies who reach out for information such as Warrior reader Ben, the first reader … [Read more...]