Lessons from five months of casino-hopping By Mark Gruetze, CDC Gaming Reports • August 26, 2018 At one casino, a veteran blackjack dealer handled the cards with superb efficiency but no conversation and no smiles, not even a “thank you” for tips. At a place down the road, a dealer who could have passed for a… [continue reading]
Irish Football Association to host fair debate on ties with gambling sponsors By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • August 23, 2018 Although John Delaney, the Chief Executive Officer of Ireland’s Football Association, remains tight-lipped on any firm plans to cut ties with gambling sponsors, the FA has just announced an open conversation to be held on the matter which will begin… [continue reading]
Is Atlantic City a Phoenix Rising from the Ashes? By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • August 22, 2018 Atlantic City Casinos See Revenue Soar in July: That was the headline from the Press of Atlantic City on August 15th. It screamed out a phoenix-like rise of Atlantic City from the depths of decline that began a decade ago. … [continue reading]
New York State can help casinos, but must not bail them out By Poughkeepsie Journal Editorial Board • August 22, 2018 At first blush, the numbers are awful. The so-called “Resorts World Catskills” – the massive $1.2 billion destination at the old Concord resort in Sullivan County – has gotten off to a terrible start. In fact, it took a $58… [continue reading]
Gambling Ads Revisited (Rumblings in the Eurozone) By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • August 22, 2018 There have been rumblings across the Eurozone ever since the European Commission (EC) sheathed its claws on matters gambling, announcing in the summer of 2017 that it was suspending all infringement proceedings and treatment of complaints related to gambling. This… [continue reading]
Fighting Money Laundering with Regulations and Due Diligence By Andrew Tottenham, Managing Director, Tottenham & Co • August 22, 2018 Money laundering, or should I say anti-money laundering (AML), is concentrating the minds of people in the gambling industry all around the globe. The EU implemented the 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive in June 2017. The UK Gambling Commission has handed… [continue reading]
Northeast casino saturation looms in the background of MGM Springfield opening By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • August 21, 2018 See if this sounds familiar. At a gaming conference in Atlantic City, a panel debated the casino saturation point for the Northeast U.S. gaming market. “There’s a finite amount of gaming revenue out there,” said one panelist. “We are in… [continue reading]
By George: Maître d’ Levine one of the great Las Vegas characters By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • August 20, 2018 People tell me I live in the past, and I don’t disagree. Truth is, I’m probably more comfortable there. For one thing, in the past my clothes are in style. My hair is dark. There’s more spring in my step…. [continue reading]
So, you wanna own a racehorse? By Bernard Kroviak, CDC Gaming Reports • August 20, 2018 There are many ways to get involved in horse racing as an owner. You can partner with others to share the expenses or go it alone and pay all the bills yourself. You can buy a horse at a public… [continue reading]
Collusion for casinos? Indian tribes, others have a plan for your money By Greg Harton, Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette • August 20, 2018 The Quapaw and Cherokee tribes in Oklahoma are becoming to Arkansas what the Russians are to U.S. elections. No, I’m not suggesting the tribes are headed by murderous thugs looking to return a nation to dominance by undermining its strongest… [continue reading]
Disney, Seminole Tribe team up with $26 million to keep casino competition out of Florida By Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel • August 17, 2018 In covering politics, it often takes a lot of work to connect the dots. I might suspect one guy is running a stealth campaign attacking another guy. But if the schemer is using shell corporations, LLCs and shady political committees… [continue reading]
Dancing the Wall Street Tango By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • August 16, 2018 Wall Street can be a ruthless taskmaster. Public companies hold earnings calls each quarter to discuss and explain the company’s revenues, profits and the extenuating circumstance-effected results. Analysts and reporters are on the call to ask questions and probe into… [continue reading]
Paddy Power speaks out against blanket gambling ad ban in Ireland By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • August 16, 2018 There’s a strange sense of già visto wafting around the Irish gambling industry this week. That’s the slightly less catchy Italian translation of déjà vu, as Ireland mulls over the merits and perils of a ban on gambling advertising without… [continue reading]
Gambling with our future: Betting industry football sponsorship needs tackling head-on By Dr. Heather Wardle, Huffington Post UK • August 15, 2018 The opening match between Manchester United and Leicester City will look different to many Premier League fixtures this season. Not just for the 8pm Friday kick-off time but because it’s a fixture where the two teams involved do not have… [continue reading]
Ormsby House: Even a great location no guarantee of success By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • August 15, 2018 CARSON CITY – If success in business starts with three words – location, location, location – then the Ormsby House must have seemed like a surefire winner when it opened in 1972 almost directly across the street from the Nevada… [continue reading]
States should tread carefully in setting sports betting tax rates By Johnny Kampis, Watchdog.org • August 15, 2018 The dynamic screens at the Venetian sports book list the various odds of the day, and the Atlanta Braves at 16-1 are a tempting pick to win the World Series. Although the team leads the National League East and faces… [continue reading]
It’s Not Necessarily A Bad Thing If Another Atlantic City Casino Fails By Steve Ruddock, Play NJ • August 14, 2018 The Atlantic City casino market is up to nine casinos following the dual openings of Ocean Resort Casino and Hard Rock Atlantic City in late June. The addition of the two properties saw AC casino revenue hit an eight-year high… [continue reading]
Analyst doesn’t believe $315 million judgement will haunt Scientific Games By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • August 14, 2018 Investor concerns over Scientific Games Corp.’s potential need to make good on a $315 million judgement in a federal lawsuit may have played a role in the company’s recent stock price decline. If upheld, the judgement could do serious harm… [continue reading]
Cyborgs, yachts and VR: How technology will impact sports betting By David Purdum and Ryan Rodenberg, ESPN • August 14, 2018 In 2026, when North America hosts the World Cup, experts predict more than half of all U.S. states will be in the bookmaking business. And by that time, bookies, bettors and the regulators who monitor them will be playing an… [continue reading]
Nevada gaming regulators’ technology division watches evolution of sports betting in real time By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • August 13, 2018 Big changes are coming to legalized bookmaking in the wake of the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, but Jim Barbee takes those changes in stride. Barbee, chief of the Technology Division at the Nevada Gaming Control… [continue reading]
Designed to deceive: How gambling distorts reality and hooks your brain By Mike Robinson, Wesleyan University, Associated Press • August 13, 2018 (THE CONVERSATION) To call gambling a “game of chance” evokes fun, random luck and a sense of collective engagement. These playful connotations may be part of why almost 80 percent of American adults gamble at some point in their lifetime…. [continue reading]
The Life-Changing Magic of Chicken Wings and Sports Betting By Jason Gay, The Wall Street Journal • August 13, 2018 Buffalo Wild Wings is looking at getting into sports gambling. The local B-Dubs has always been an attractive choice for sports TV excitement, but someday you may be able to add the possibility of losing money on the Chicago Bears?… [continue reading]
As Louisiana riverboat casinos move onshore, a reminder how it isn’t an ‘expansion of gambling’ By James Gill, New Orleans Advocate • August 12, 2018 Riverboat casino owners will need to shell out for a few extras — a hotel or conference center, say — to get permission from the state Gaming Control Board to move operations onshore. Board chairman Ronnie Jones this week explained why: “The… [continue reading]
The Right Man for the Job By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • August 9, 2018 Phil Satre has a new job; he is the chairman designate of Wynn Resorts. Satre has a long and storied career in gaming. After law school, Satre joined the law firm of Vargas and Dixon; Mead Dixon was an attorney… [continue reading]
Japan gaming license would soften Caesars’ pain after missing out on Macau, Singapore By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • August 7, 2018 The process that Japan undertakes to award three casino licenses will be the most competitive bidding war the gaming industry has seen since 2006, when Singapore granted integrated resort deals to Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Malaysia-based Genting Berhad. Both… [continue reading]
Longtime casino executive Satre will help put out the fire at Wynn Resorts By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • August 6, 2018 A construction fire that started Sunday morning at Encore Boston Harbor could have been devastating, but fast action quickly extinguished the flames. Still, the smoky symbolism was impossible to miss. Big trouble of another kind has smoldered at the $2.5… [continue reading]
Legalized betting may not be a great panacea, after all By Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune • August 6, 2018 It probably won’t be long before you can order a caffe macchiato at Starbucks and then tell the barista to put down a few sawbucks on Rams-49ers and Raiders-Judases. I’m not overly excited about either. I have a coffee maker,… [continue reading]
Casinos are getting nervous as Las Vegas revenues drop and their stocks slump By David G. Schwartz, Forbes • August 6, 2018 Las Vegas casino operators seemed to be cruising earlier this year, but the summer has turned into a bit of a bummer for them. Whether this is a temporary decline or the start of a bigger reshaping remains to be… [continue reading]
You couldn’t go anywhere without reading about MGM last week, but not all the stories were positive By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • August 5, 2018 Jim Murren was a factor in as many headlines last week as LeBron James during the NBA playoffs. He and his casino company dominated the newswire. There are a few mentions, however, that Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts… [continue reading]
Bookies go from pariahs to partners in NBA deal By Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press • August 3, 2018 LAS VEGAS (AP) – As revenue goes it barely registers on the books. The NBA probably gets more from the contract with its frozen daiquiri vendor than it does the new deal it inked with casino giant MGM Resorts International…. [continue reading]
Casinos in Italy May Be an Endangered Species By Andrew Tottenham, Managing Director, Tottenham & Co • August 3, 2018 Italy, with a population of nearly 70 million, has only four casinos, all of which are located in the north of the country and are owned and regulated by local municipalities. Despite their shared monopoly they have fallen on hard… [continue reading]
The Rise of the Sports Betting Hydra By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • August 3, 2018 Back in May we ran an in-depth piece looking at a host of issues in the sports betting world which Europe has had to navigate, since it has possessed, in most cases, a liberal market of legalised sports betting for… [continue reading]
Developments in Italian Gambling Ad Ban: Facebook, EGBA, LOGiCO By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • August 2, 2018 The reality in Italy is starting to sink in. First, Google ordered advertisers to discontinue gambling ads facing Italy with immediate effect, despite the ban commencing in January 2019, and now fellow (and rival) tech behemoth Facebook is following suit…. [continue reading]
Here a Pokie, There a Pokie, Everywhere a Pokie-Pokie By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • August 2, 2018 In Australia slot machines are called Pokies. The name is derived from poker machines, although the name predates gaming machines that actually offered poker. In 1953, Len Ainsworth started to use his dad’s company and machinery to manufacturer slot machines…. [continue reading]
Despite Wynn’s problems, casino still rises in Everett By Joan Vennochi, Boston Globe • August 2, 2018 There, beyond Costco and the Texas Roadhouse restaurant, it looms: The golden tower, rechristened “Encore Boston Harbor,” to erase the name of Steve Wynn from the $2.5 billion casino project the now disgraced mogul personally championed for Everett. A recent… [continue reading]
At USBookmaking, Walker forges ahead into sports betting’s new frontier By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • August 1, 2018 Robert Walker may not have known it then, but the bookmaking world was experiencing the end of an era in 1986 when he went behind the counter for the first time at the Fremont casino’s diminutive spots book in downtown… [continue reading]
Las Vegas on the sidelines as regional market casino mergers fall into place By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • August 1, 2018 More than $8.7 billion of regional casino industry mergers and buyouts are in various stages of completion. It might surprise some that both the Las Vegas Strip and the Las Vegas locals’ market aren’t factored into the current deal making…. [continue reading]
Waiting for Garapan By Muhammad Cohen, Inside Asian Gaming • August 1, 2018 Imperial Pacific International continues to excel at many things. Its monopoly casino on the US Pacific island of Saipan keeps posting extraordinary VIP numbers, more than three times the roll at Wynn Macau on a speck in the ocean, four… [continue reading]
How are Esports being developed in APAC? By Jaccky Chan • July 31, 2018 如何在亚太地区开发电子竞技？ – 点击这里阅读中文/Read in Chinese For the first time this year, esports have been listed as a sport in the Asian Games. Specifically, they’re listed as a demonstration event and being treated as an exhibition. That said, this is an… [continue reading]
Big Data in the land-based casino industry in Asia: an absence at the moment By SL, CDC Oriental Elite Team • July 31, 2018 亚洲实体赌场为何不采用大数据？ – 点击这里阅读中文/Read in Chinese Big Data has become more and more visible in the media in recent years, with references in TV programmes and hundreds of articles in newspapers, magazines, and the like. And it’s having a serious impact… [continue reading]
Gambling Responsibility – What Does It Mean In Asia? By KL, CDC Oriental Elite Team • July 31, 2018 如何在亚洲实践「负责任博彩」？ – 点击这里阅读中文/Read in Chinese When it comes to responsible gambling, responsibility can be separated into 2 core areas: Responsibility of the individual person Responsibility of the gambling organisation In Asia, the issue of problem gambling has been around for… [continue reading]
Internal Audit – A real third line of defence By SL, CDC Oriental Elite Team • July 31, 2018 內部審計——真正的第三道防線？ – 点击这里阅读中文/Read in Chinese What do you think of when you think of Internal Audit (IA)? Do you think IA people are our friends or enemies? If you are looking after the business and the marketing functions, do you… [continue reading]
Why We Won’t See A Federal Sports Betting Bill Soon By Ifrah Law, JD Supra • July 31, 2018 Following the Supreme Court decision to overturn The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in Murphy v. NCAA, in June Delaware became the first state to take advantage of the new ruling. Delaware governor John Carney placed the state’s… [continue reading]
Gambling away good sense By Peter Collins, IOL • July 31, 2018 It used to be possible to claim that from 1995 onwards South Africa had some of the best gambling legislation in the world, and that the regulation of casinos in the Western Cape was the best in the world from… [continue reading]
Welcome to Our New Gambling Hell, Sports Fans By Will Leitch, New York Magazine • July 31, 2018 Every NFL season has its signature image, the way that year will be remembered forever. 1985 has the Super Bowl Shuffle Chicago Bears. 2001 has U2 singing at the Super Bowl right before Bill Belichick and Tom Brady shocked the… [continue reading]
Moonves sexual harassment scandal recalls Wynn’s rapid fall from grace By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • July 30, 2018 The subject was sexual harassment at the highest levels of American business, and investigative reporter Ronan Farrow was talking about powerful CBS CEO Leslie Moonves. It was impossible not to think of Steve Wynn. Farrow, whose stunning reporting on high-profile… [continue reading]
America, a Gambling El Dorado? The Odds Are Long By Lionel Laurent, Bloomberg • July 30, 2018 European investors are getting excited about sports betting in the U.S. They should place their wagers carefully. When Mr. Burns draws up plans for a casino in “The Simpsons,” he thinks he’s found the perfect business: “People swarm in, empty… [continue reading]
South Las Vegas Strip has long history of failed projects By Eli Segall, Las Vegas Review-Journal • July 29, 2018 In a move that could pump more life into the south Strip, Israeli hoteliers this month bought the 1960s-era Motel 8 and plan to tear it down to build a casino. They can only hope the project turns out better… [continue reading]
Book Review: Atlantic City and ‘Wrestlemania factored into the making of President Trump By David G. Schwartz, CDC Gaming Reports • July 28, 2018 A lot was written about Donald Trump before he became President. A good amount has been written since then, with more to surely come. This volume by wrestling enthusiast and writer Lavie Margolin explore Trump’s involvement with professional wrestling via… [continue reading]
Google AdWords bans gambling adverts in Italy By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • July 27, 2018 Google has decided to adhere to the recently announced Italian ban on gambling advertising that will kick in beginning in 2019 and has informed operators using Google Adwords that they will not be permitted to offer any AdWords gambling advertising… [continue reading]
The Latest Skirmish in the Tuscarora War By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • July 26, 2018 On Monday, July 23, 2018 officers of the Robeson County Sheriff’s office, Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Department of Homeland Security, North Carolina and Virginia National Guard raided three casino locations in North Carolina. They arrested 26… [continue reading]
Gambling no longer an impediment to pro sports By Neal McLelland, The Daily Iberian • July 26, 2018 Ever since professional sports began, betting has been a no-no when it comes to the players in the four biggest American sports — football, basketball, baseball and hockey. It’s such a no-no that if you walk into a pro locker… [continue reading]
MGM Resorts should have followed Kerkorian’s example before creating horrible optics By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • July 25, 2018 Nearly 40 years ago, Kirk Kerkorian reached into his own pockets and paid out $69 million to settle all of the pending death and personal injury claims associated with the devastating fire at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. In… [continue reading]
Our view: We also must decide how we want to gamble By Herald & Review Editorial Board • July 25, 2018 As we move toward Illinois’ inevitable legalization of gambling on sporting events, there’s another discussion worth having. Of course, there are already discussions about the moral and societal wisdom of expanding gambling from casinos, parimutuel parlors, the lottery and video… [continue reading]
Pari-mutuels form two PACs to fight Florida amendment By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • July 24, 2018 So now there’s some competition: two racetrack casino operators have each created an organization to fight an amendment that would require any gambling expansion in Florida to be approved by the voters. “Voter Control of Gambling in Florida” is on… [continue reading]
Jai-alai in Edgewater would lead to casino complex in Omni By Michael Lewis, Miami Today News • July 24, 2018 Few are saying so, but civic leaders’ objections to a gambling incursion on downtown’s north edge must be more about what will follow than about a tawdry jai-alai fronton and poker parlor. Those bringing gambling to newly burgeoning Edgewater are… [continue reading]
Sports book industry’s Culver was ‘comfortable on both sides of the window’ By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • July 23, 2018 The name Russ Culver has been spoken with respect around the sports book industry for so long that it seems I’ve heard it much of my life. Whether it was as a successful player at the top of the leader… [continue reading]
Why don’t integrated resorts seem to work in Europe? By Andrew Tottenham, Managing Director, Tottenham & Co • July 20, 2018 Given the success that integrated resorts have found elsewhere in the world, I am often asked why they seem to fail in Europe. Integrated resorts often generate taxes, employment, in-bound tourism and the like. To be clear, an integrated resort… [continue reading]
AI Falls Down on World Cup Predictions By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • July 20, 2018 Not long after the World Cup began, I ran a piece in CDC International (AI Predictions for World Cup abound, July 2) detailing some of the latest efforts by academics and financial institutions alike to use artificial intelligence and machine… [continue reading]
Gaming association brings promotional campaign to Des Moines By Casey Clark, Des Moines Register • July 19, 2018 When companies hold ceremonial groundbreakings to announce facility openings or expansions, oftentimes surrounded by community leaders and public officials, many believe it is a mark of better things to come for local residents. For the gaming industry, we take the… [continue reading]
Nevada sports book operators urge patience before making any regulatory changes By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • July 19, 2018 When it comes to the U.S. expansion of legal sports betting, we’re still in the top of the first inning. What about a couple of other sports metaphors? It’s first-and-10 following the opening kick-off, and the puck just dropped for… [continue reading]
William Hill launches new ‘Zero Harm’ campaign By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • July 19, 2018 It looks a little like the tide regarding problem gambling in the UK is really starting to turn; this new Zero Harm campaign by William Hill is both relieving and inspiring. It’s a bold move, as are the graphics on… [continue reading]
Pulling the reins on (Virginia) gambling By Daily Press • July 18, 2018 Virginia’s canter toward new forms of gambling has become a full gallop as the state considers historical horse racing The Virginia Racing Commission bucked the reins of restraint this past week, announcing it may allow as many as 3,000 historical… [continue reading]
Floodgates will soon open for NCAA betting. Will more scandals follow? By Craig Meyer and Stephen J. Nesbitt, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette • July 18, 2018 What happened to Mike Hamrick in Las Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas. It stayed with him. One particular memory from his six years as UNLV’s athletic director — at the nexus of sports and gambling in the United States, with… [continue reading]
Miami racino hopes that jai-alai will bring a bounce By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • July 17, 2018 To see the challenges South Florida racetrack casinos face, one need only look at two media events: one in Miami, rolling out jai-alai at Magic City Casino, and the other in Hollywood, marking a milestone in the building of a… [continue reading]
Making lemonade out of Schenectady’s Rivers Casino By Phil Steck, Times Union • July 17, 2018 New York came to the casino dance a bit late. In a saturated casino market, projected revenues were unrealistic. But are the casinos a failure? I can only speak to the one casino in my district — Rivers. Rivers pays… [continue reading]
Tiny Taos Native American casino makes a perfect project for a gaming industry Ph.D. By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • July 16, 2018 TAOS, N.M. – You’ll have to go looking to find the diminutive Taos Mountain Casino. It’s located at 700 Veterans Highway between the entrance to the historic Taos Pueblo and the end of the famous artists’ town. As they say,… [continue reading]
Native American casinos eye Japan, ignore Chief Wahoo at home By Muhammad Cohen, Forbes • July 16, 2018 Japan’s upper legislative house has passed gaming addiction legislation and begun debate on the Integrated Resort Implementation Bill, the final step for casino legalization in the world’s third largest economy. If the bill passes, the real fun starts, as localities and companies… [continue reading]
We’ve got the do-nothing gamblin’ blues By Dan Haar, CT Post • July 16, 2018 It’s hot outside, beach season, and the state Capitol is mostly empty these days as the governor closes out his eight-year tenure and members of the General Assembly fish for votes. Precisely the time we should worry about lack of… [continue reading]
The Robot Invasion Takes another Beach By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • July 13, 2018 Vdara Hotel & Spa is a 1,495 all-suite hotel within the $8.5 billion CityCenter complex in Las Vegas. It opened in 2009, intent on being very modern and luxurious. Everything is top of the line and as contemporary as an… [continue reading]
Cashing out: Legalized sports gambling raises addiction concerns By Nate Fain, Arizona Sports • July 13, 2018 Another football game hadn’t gone Joe Schiller’s way, and the thousands of dollars of debt he had accumulated from betting was about to bury him. With his life spinning out of control, he hopped in his car with his then-pregnant… [continue reading]
Shaky truce gives way to a renewed battle for Wynn Resorts By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • July 11, 2018 Wynn Resorts Ltd. may need a few sessions of psychoanalysis as well as a corporate clean-up. At some point, the bickering and uncertainty within the casino operator must end. Monday’s bombshell securities filing by Elaine Wynn ended any recent detente…. [continue reading]
New sports betting laws won’t stop illegal gambling By Bill Burt, The Sharon Herald • July 11, 2018 Illegal sports betting will soon be replaced in many states by legal sports betting. Or will it? Maybe the better question is, how much illegal sports betting will now become legit? Those are among the many questions swirling around betting… [continue reading]
UK Gambling Commission Publishes Enforcement Report By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • July 11, 2018 The UK Gambling Commission recently released Raising Standards for Consumers, its enforcement report for 2017-2018. The report details the actions taken by the Commission during that two-year period and outlines the intent behind the publication in the introduction: “We want… [continue reading]
A novel idea coming to fruition: a guitar-shaped hotel By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • July 10, 2018 Big ideas often don’t arrive with just the snap of a finger. Take the latest big thing from the Seminole Tribe of Florida: a 450-foot-tall, guitar-shaped hotel on the tribe’s casino property in Hollywood, Florida. Seminoles’ CEO James Allen said… [continue reading]
Gambling and drugs may be the cure for Connecticut’s ailing economy By Bob Woods, CNBC • July 10, 2018 Despite Connecticut’s deep roots in Puritanism, which generally frowned upon frivolity, the Constitution State is poised to shun its priggish past in order to boost its stagnant economy by legalizing sports betting and recreational marijuana — potentially generating hundreds of… [continue reading]
With legal sports betting going national, fantasy football convention a reminder of changing times and tastes By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • July 9, 2018 Although Andy Alberth now spends most of his time promoting the National Fantasy Football Convention, the former Las Vegan for several years earned a living as a professional poker player. So he knows what a bad beat feels like. He’s… [continue reading]
Philippines, Resorts World Manila rebound from deadly attack By Muhammad Cohen, Forbes • July 9, 2018 Last June, Resorts World Manila suffered a nightmarish attack by a gunman who set fire to the second floor casino area, leaving 36 dead and more than 50 injured before killing himself. The Philippines and its first integrated resort each… [continue reading]
Investigation Shows 400,000 Teens Gamble on Skins in Video Games By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • July 9, 2018 The issue of skins gambling has been on our radar for some time now. To recap briefly, this occurs when gamers uncover loot boxes or other repositories hidden within the game that contain skins – basically a way to make… [continue reading]
Did the Supreme Court reinterpret the Wire Act to allow cross-border Internet sports betting? By Daniel Wallach, Forbes • July 8, 2018 The Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Murphy v. NCAA dramatically altered the landscape for sports betting in the United States by declaring that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is unconstitutional. As a result of this decision, States… [continue reading]
Airplanes and the Racing Form, part II By Bernard Kroviak, CDC Gaming Reports • July 8, 2018 Before I take you on another of my flight experiences, I’d like to revisit the 2018 Belmont Stakes once more. It is obvious that Justify is a wonderful horse with a bright future, in both racing and breeding, but I… [continue reading]
The Real World Cup Winner? Online Gambling. By Lionel Laurent, Bloomberg • July 6, 2018 The longer England captain Harry Kane and his team stay in the World Cup, the bigger the boost to the U.K. economy. But if there’s one industry that stands to win whatever happens, it’s betting. Brits are set to wager… [continue reading]
A safe bet: Legal gambling could change the way we watch, talk and experience sports By Rick Maese, The Washington Post • July 5, 2018 When sportscaster Scott Van Pelt was given the keys to the midnight edition of SportsCenter on ESPN, he saw no reason to pretend that gambling didn’t exist. He introduced a segment on the show called “Bad Beats” — essentially highlighting… [continue reading]
Atlantic City’s original gaming journalist closes his notebook By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • July 4, 2018 During a work trip I made to Atlantic City to cover the challenges faced by the east coast gaming market in 2013, Dan Heneghan decided he wanted to show me a portion of the boardwalk far from the casinos and… [continue reading]
Japanese casinos are a real gamble By William Pesek, Nikkei Asian Review • July 4, 2018 For two decades, Las Vegas billionaires salivated over the idea of casinos in Japan. Arguably, only China holds greater potential than the affluent, gambling-crazy East Asian archipelago. Tokyo may hate to admit it, but betting — on pachinko, horses, cycling,… [continue reading]
Pa. should stop iLottery games, work with casinos on compromise By Times Leader • July 3, 2018 We were ready to dish out a healthy dose of criticism to Pennsylvania’s licensed casino operators for their beef with the state. The casinos are complaining the state’s new iLottery games available online compete with what the gambling houses offer… [continue reading]
Can our Massachusetts state troopers be trusted to police casinos? By Hilary Chabot, Boston Herald • July 3, 2018 The Massachusetts State Police — roiled by fraud, corruption and embezzling charges — soon will be rubbing shoulders with high rollers, charged with sniffing out crime in the state’s new casinos starting next month. Thirteen state troopers will be permanently… [continue reading]
AI Predictions for World Cup Abound By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • July 3, 2018 AI is getting bigger and more visible by the minute, and its capabilities are becoming much clearer: in the past few years, we’ve seen AI beat the best Go player in the world, as well as a selection of the… [continue reading]
Take it as a sign: Generating sense of nostalgia and making memories By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • July 2, 2018 I had something fairly interesting to say. Then I saw the sign. With some observations of a tiny Taos, N.M., casino in my notebook next to jottings about the future of anti-money laundering in the casino business, and thoughts after… [continue reading]
The importance of timing for UK gambling regulation By Joe Streeter, SBC News • July 2, 2018 In Parliament, timing is everything. There are few sure things in matters of gambling regulation but it is looking increasingly likely that the reduction in maximum stakes on betting shop machines will take place in April. Working out which particular… [continue reading]
Is sports betting in our future? By Jim Beam, The American Press • July 1, 2018 The U.S. Supreme Court has opened the door to sports betting for all states, but it appears Louisiana won’t be rushing to join the crowd. However, there is every indication sports betting in the Pelican State may be just around… [continue reading]
BOOK REVIEW: “All In: The Spread of Gambling in Twentieth-Century United States” By Sally Denton, Pasatiempo • June 29, 2018 All In: The Spread of Gambling in Twentieth-Century United States, edited by Jonathan D. Cohen and David G. Schwartz, University of Nevada Press, 296 pages From the looks of the outdoor billboards and prime-time television commercials, New Mexico has gone… [continue reading]
The current state of the Czech gaming market and the influence of the new regulations By Stepan Stehlicek, Becker & Poliakoff • June 29, 2018 A year and a half ago, new legislation on the regulation of gambling became effective in the Czech Republic. According to the Ministry of Finance, the body responsible for regulating gambling, the new regulations are a major breakthrough, a modern… [continue reading]
Bad times for gambling in Bavaria By Andrew Tottenham, Managing Director, Tottenham & Co • June 29, 2018 Results released recently by the Bavarian State Lottery Corporation, owner of Bayerische Spielbanken, which operates the nine casinos in Bavaria, show that only three – Feuchtwangen, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Bad Wiessee – are profitable. That profit totals around €8.3 million. Bad… [continue reading]
Online gambling: A hackers’ paradise? By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • June 29, 2018 Cybercrime is a huge, sprawling and multi-faceted mess, a lot like the Internet itself. Opportunities for malfeasance abound and policing crime is a living nightmare. Technology is evolving at a rate beyond which anyone effectively keep up with it. Only… [continue reading]
Sports betting is here, leagues should stay away By Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press • June 28, 2018 They’ve been taking action for two weeks now in New Jersey, where basketball great Julius Erving helped kick things off with a $5 bet on the Philadelphia Eagles to repeat as Super Bowl champions. Sports betting is here, and it’s… [continue reading]
Lack of mobile sports betting clarity could be a bad beat for some states By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • June 27, 2018 Mobile wagering is credited as the primary reason Nevada’s sports betting revenues have grown by nearly 23 percent since 2013. It might have even more importance in New Jersey. With more than 100 miles separating Atlantic City’s casinos from northern… [continue reading]
There’s no reason to ignore the potential of poker By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • June 27, 2018 In the past ten weeks I’ve bounced from Las Vegas, to Biloxi, Mississippi, to Miami, to Temecula, California, listening to gaming operators, experts and others talk about almost every facet of gambling. But there’s one word I barely heard: “poker.”… [continue reading]
UK online casino 32Red fined £2 million (more than $2.6 million) for problem gambler failings By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • June 27, 2018 It’s now looking like the UK Gambling Commission is going to be at the industry’s heels so long as gambling sites continue to slack about monitoring potential cases of problem gambling and, in a larger sense, doing basic, proscribed customer… [continue reading]
As the World Cup brings joy to fans, it brings misery to online gamblers By Kevin McKenna, The Guardian • June 26, 2018 After a while, you find yourself getting accustomed to the absurd chauvinism of English commentators at World Cups. The BBC and ITV seem to vie with each other every four years to provide the most asinine and uninformed coverage of… [continue reading]
Nevada elected official ahead of his time on political betting By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • June 25, 2018 Some Nevadans laughed when liberal state Sen. Richard “Tick” Segerblom began promoting the possibility of legalizing marijuana use for medicinal and even recreational purposes. Others were less kind. A few even considered his idea bad for the state’s reputation, whatever… [continue reading]
Japan moves closer to casinos, but tantalizing concept not in the cards By Muhammad Cohen, Forbes • June 23, 2018 Legislators in Japan’s lower house passed an integrated resort (IR) implementation bill on Tuesday, then extended the legislative session to July 22 to enable upper house consideration of this final step toward casino legalization. Casino companies from across the world… [continue reading]
Italian government announces ‘Absolute Ban’ on gambling advertising as first measure By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • June 23, 2018 Look out, Italy, there’s a banhammer heading your way. The new coalition government has declared, via Deputy Prime Minister Luigi di Maio, that the first wave of their planned crackdown on gambling will come in the form of an ‘absolute… [continue reading]
Fierce, savvy and shrewd; Seminole Tribe of Florida rarely tastes defeat By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • June 20, 2018 Florida’s Seminole Indian tribe is a gaming industry success story. Not only does the tribe own and operate six of Florida’s seven casinos, the Seminole influence is felt worldwide through its groundbreaking ownership of Hard Rock International, which was acquired… [continue reading]
A trip to a California card room (with inexpensive lodging as an option) By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • June 19, 2018 I check out of my hotel on my recent trip to California and an acquaintance picks me up. We’re going gambling. I’ve been covering gambling for more than 10 years, and I frequented casinos for years before that. I won’t… [continue reading]
Signs of Growth in Italian Casinos? By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • June 19, 2018 Despite some concern for the future as the new government displays what some are calling a degree of animosity toward the gaming market, land-based casinos across Italy are actually showing positive signs of growth in several recent cases. One Italian… [continue reading]
Oddsmaker Roxborough: Getting legalized sports betting right will take time By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • June 18, 2018 It should come as no surprise, but legendary oddsmaker Michael “Roxy” Roxborough’s predictions about the legalization of sports betting are already proving true. Not the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in May to repeal the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act… [continue reading]
Airplanes and the Racing Form By Bernard Kroviak, CDC Gaming Reports • June 16, 2018 Before we get up in the air, though, we should take a moment to recognize how good Justify is already, and how good he could possibly become. Winning the Kentucky Derby without first running as a two-year-old, the first time… [continue reading]
Who is Going to Pay the Cost of Parking on the Strip? By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • June 14, 2018 In the midst of the national hoopla around the legalization of sports betting, a minor, but intriguing, story from the Las Vegas Strip appeared. On June 7th, Wynn and Encore Resorts announced an end to parking fees for hotel guests… [continue reading]
Marina Bay Sands becomes a photo op on Kim Jong-Un’s night on the town in Singapore By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • June 14, 2018 We should have expected Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands to make a cameo appearance during this week’s historic summit between the U.S. and North Korea. Developed by Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands Corp at a cost of more than $5.7 billion,… [continue reading]
A casino gaming revival is taking place in Paris By Andrew Tottenham, Managing Director, Tottenham & Co • June 14, 2018 Something has been happening in Paris, and few in the international gaming industry have heard about it. Casino gambling has historically not been legal in the city of Paris. In 1920, a French government decree stated that no casinos could… [continue reading]
VR Gaming & The High Street By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • June 14, 2018 Virtual Reality has come too far by now for it not to be the future. The sad unspoken fact behind the curtain is that it has too many military applications to ever suffer a total short out in investment; if only… [continue reading]
Mixing the past with the future: Schleswig-Holstein introduces new quasi-licensing regime for sports betting By Joerg Hofmann and Jessica Maier, MELCHERS Law Firm, Germany • June 14, 2018 Headlines about German gambling regulations usually relate to Germany’s core legal framework on gambling, the Interstate Treaty on Gambling (Interstate Treaty), as well as the questionable applicability of some of its key restrictions under EU law. This article, however, will… [continue reading]
Pechanga: A major success story for Indian gaming By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • June 13, 2018 For Exhibit A illustrating how Indian gaming has soared from bingo-and-tents to hotels-and-pools, head to Pechanga Resort & Casino, just outside the city limits of Temecula, California. “Our goal here is for us to be the premier casino resort destination… [continue reading]
Adeus, Stanley Ho: master builder of modern Macau leaves own company a mess By Muhammad Cohen, Forbes • June 12, 2018 An era ends Tuesday. Stanley Ho steps down as chairman of Macau casino concession holder SJM Holdings, his last remaining post in a public company. Ho, 96, has reportedly not been active in business since falling at home in July… [continue reading]
Golden Knights’ success enough to soften the most cynical Vegas Guys By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • June 11, 2018 I ran into the Vegas Guy just the other day. To my surprise, instead of his dealer’s black-and-whites he wore a Vegas Golden Knights cap and a replica of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury’s No. 29 jersey. You know the Vegas Guy…. [continue reading]
How It Felt To Book Delaware’s First Sports Bet By David G. Schwartz, Forbes • June 11, 2018 On Tuesday, a lifelong Philly sports fan placed a $10 bet on the Phillies to beat the Cubs. Why is this newsworthy? Because the fan placing the bet was Delaware was the state’s governor, John Carney, and when he made… [continue reading]
Sports betting isn’t a sure thing By Ken Tingley, Glens Falls Post-Star • June 10, 2018 I learned early about sports betting. Before high school on Wednesday mornings during football season, I’d head for my dad’s gray metal lunch pail on the kitchen counter. The betting slip for that weekend’s games would be inside. Every NFL… [continue reading]
Being the CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association is certainly a job for SuperFreeman By Jeffrey Compton, CDC Gaming Reports • June 9, 2018 When CDC Gaming Reports first received the news regarding Geoff Freeman’s upcoming departure as President and CEO of the American Gaming Association, I was angry. I was concerned that Geoff was bailing on what has become a very productive working… [continue reading]
Hard Rock’s Spanish casino development set to start soon By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • June 9, 2018 Renowned US-based entertainment company Hard Rock, which has more than a passing interest in providing casino gaming as well as other leisure facilities around the world, have received the green light to go ahead with their planned venture in the… [continue reading]
Culinary Union contract settlements show maturity on all sides By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • June 7, 2018 It was about this time 34 years ago that cooler heads finally prevailed to end a 75-day strike at the major casino-resorts of Las Vegas. Thousands of workers lost time on the job, and casino coffers suffered, too. In all,… [continue reading]
AGS slot executive tries to answer an important question By Buddy Frank, CDC Gaming Reports • June 7, 2018 What makes a good game? That was a question posed by AGS Senior Vice President of Slot Products Andrew Burke at the AGS GameON conference. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the full answer. He did cite research over the last 18… [continue reading]
Through its REIT, MGM Resorts finds its way into New York’s gaming market By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • June 6, 2018 Most analysts believe MGM Resorts International’s planned $850 million acquisition of a New York casino and racetrack is all about tapping into the state’s potentially lucrative sports wagering business. But the transaction lends additional credibility to MGM Growth Properties, the… [continue reading]
Implementing sports betting: getting it right the first time By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • June 6, 2018 Casino operators have plenty of control, but only within the parameters set by their state legislatures. And Michael Pollock has some advice for those government officials – legislators and regulators – who will be debating sports gambling at their state… [continue reading]
Tribal Ambition By Muhammad Cohen and Ben Blaschke, Inside Asian Gaming • June 5, 2018 Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment CEO Mario Kontomerkos believes the Native American casino operator has two aces in the hole for Japan, especially when it comes to the so-called regional markets beyond major areas. In his presentation at last month’s Japan… [continue reading]
Las Vegas Strip transportation: Who will take the wheel of the Taxicab Authority? By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • June 4, 2018 It’s not a glamorous job but having the right person at the wheel of the Nevada Taxicab Authority is essential to keeping the visitors flowing smoothly into the great Las Vegas tourism machine. That job is open these days after… [continue reading]
How casinos use math to make money when you play the slots By David G. Schwartz, Forbes • June 4, 2018 Back when I worked security in an Atlantic City casino, patrons would often ask me, “Which slot machine is the one that’s going to hit?” My usual response was, “If I knew that, I wouldn’t be working here anymore,” followed… [continue reading]
More gambling fools gold for Illinois By Jim Nowlan, Quad Cities Online • June 4, 2018 State governments are salivating now that the U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for them to authorize sports gambling, a legal (Nevada only right now) and illegal industry that experts say dwarfs the lotteries and casinos in dollars wagered…. [continue reading]
Gambling is an economic loser By Joseph Rust, Deseret (Salt Lake City) News • June 3, 2018 The recent Supreme Court decision on sports gambling has been hailed by many politicians, including our own Gov. Gary Herbert, as a victory for states’ rights, by opinion writers such as George Will as a way to decriminalize gambling, by… [continue reading]
Amid stunning recovery, Macau casinos still have room to grow By Muhammad Cohen, Forbes • June 3, 2018 Less than two years ago, many wondered if Macau’s casino revenue would ever prosper again. Now, May’s 12% increase stands as a disappointment. Just a quick wander around Cotai reveals just how well Macau is doing right now and, as… [continue reading]
Why Las Vegas casinos had a good April and what it means By David G. Schwartz, Forbes • June 2, 2018 Towards the end of each month, the Nevada Gaming Control Board releases the Gaming Revenue Report. This 48-page publication is the cornerstone for much analysis of the state’s gaming industry, since it has indicators for how well casinos performed. You… [continue reading]
The Illinois Gaming Bill Has Come and Gone for another Year By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • May 31, 2018 Gaming nearly took another giant leap forward in Illinois. According to the Chicago Tribune, “It is something of an unofficial tradition in Springfield: As lawmakers inch closer to the end of the spring legislative session, a proposal to expand gambling… [continue reading]
Plans by Louisiana to move its riverboat casinos on shore currently in the dry dock By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • May 30, 2018 After years of debate, Louisiana lawmakers last week finally gave its casino operators permission to expand their gaming footprint and move its riverboats out of the water and onto drier and, perhaps, more fertile land. The action is a giant… [continue reading]
Sports betting? College athletes are vulnerable By The Boston Globe • May 30, 2018 Chicago White Sox players were so vulnerable to corruption in 1919 for one main reason: their salaries. “I needed the money. I had the wife and kids,” said White Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte, who got $10,000 — more than his… [continue reading]
Sports gambling? Probably not soon, if your state has tribal gaming By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • May 30, 2018 In column A, we have the four most active states for Indian gaming: California, Oklahoma, Florida and Washington. In column B are four states with little or no Indian gaming: New Jersey, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Delaware. Guess which column… [continue reading]
Game companies need to cut the crap—loot boxes are obviously gambling By Peter Bright, Ars Technica • May 29, 2018 Game companies now lean heavily on loot boxes to monetize their products. Legislators around the world are threatening to impose regulations on the boxes, claiming that they’re gambling. Industry groups, however, insist that the boxes are not. I play games… [continue reading]
Bettman and Daly put on a lounge show of their own By Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press • May 29, 2018 LAS VEGAS (AP) — Just before the most improbable of Stanley Cup Final in the most improbable hockey city around, Gary Bettman and Bill Daly put on a little show of their own. As lounge acts go, it probably wouldn’t… [continue reading]
In the short run, the odds are in Las Vegas’ favor when it comes to sports betting By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • May 28, 2018 When it comes to the spread of legalized sports betting, I can’t help but wonder whether this short-term gain will result in long-term pain. There’s been so much celebrating in the gaming industry and much of the media in the… [continue reading]
Prediction: The Washington Capitals will win the team’s first Stanley Cup By Geoff Freeman, President, American Gaming Association • May 27, 2018 The Washington Capitals organization began play in 1974 – this is their second appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Vegas Golden Knights began play about 15 minutes ago and they’re already in their first Stanley Cup Final. Where was… [continue reading]
Prediction: In its first season, the Vegas Golden Knights will win the Stanley Cup By Howard Stutz, Executive Editor, CDC Gaming Reports • May 27, 2018 Like 99.99 percent of the hockey world, I never imagined the Vegas Golden Knights would be four wins from becoming the National Hockey League’s 2018 champions. I’m sure Geoff Freeman never thought the Golden Knights would be the last team… [continue reading]
Pro leagues’ messaging on sports betting ‘integrity’ may backfire By Brett Smiley, SportsHandle.com • May 27, 2018 In response to a salvo about the “integrity fee” from a New Jersey senator on Wednesday, the NBA and MLB (the “Leagues”) made it clear that they will not quietly give up the fight for a percentage of all legal… [continue reading]
Nevada’s Eldorado Resorts becoming a force in regional gaming By Richard N. Velotta, Las Vegas Review-Journal • May 27, 2018 High atop the list of gaming companies to keep an eye on is Eldorado Resorts, a Reno company that has become a force in the regional casino industry. Eldorado Resorts made a splash last month by announcing the acquisition of… [continue reading]
Casinos miss the point by grousing about player ‘entitlement’ By Mark Gruetze, CDC Gaming Reports • May 26, 2018 Finding ways to curb a gambler’s “sense of entitlement” has become a popular topic when casino executives gather. At conference tables or over drinks, they lament that slot fans feel entitled to free play, that table players feel entitled to… [continue reading]
Another Triple Crown winner so soon? It’s possible. By Bernard Kroviak, CDC Gaming Reports • May 26, 2018 I began to follow the thoroughbred racing game in my youth, as a baby boomer in the 60’s. As was the case for many others, the Kentucky Derby and, by extension, the Triple Crown were of special interest to me…. [continue reading]
UK: Gambling Commission Says GAMSTOP May Be Unfit for Purpose By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • May 24, 2018 The UK national press has gained access to a letter, purported to have been sent by UK Gambling Commission Executive Director Tim Miller to the Remote Gaming Association (RGA), in which he refers to “unacceptable faults” contained within the responsible… [continue reading]
The Supreme Court Pulled Out the Cork and the Genie Is Loose By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • May 24, 2018 On Monday, May 14th, the United States Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992. The law prohibited sports betting except as conducted by the lottery in Oregon, Delaware, Montana and in casinos in… [continue reading]
Two years on the sidelines is long enough; what have I missed, and what’s next? By Howard Stutz, CDC Gaming Reports • May 23, 2018 During a telephone interview some years ago with the late Frank Rosenthal, I casually referred to the reputed organized crime associate by his nickname, “Lefty.” At the time, Rosenthal was facing a 1987 hearing by Nevada gaming regulators over his… [continue reading]
LEAKED: Italian Government Proposes Strict New Gambling Bill By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • May 23, 2018 The new Italian Government has put forward a draft of a new gambling bill, the contents of which have raised, let’s say, more than a few eyebrows in the gaming industry. You could say hackles would be more accurate. The… [continue reading]
AGS hyped up for its GameOn summit June 5-7 at Pechanga Resort & Casino By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • May 22, 2018 Sure, AGS could gather its clients for the usual corporate shindig and bombard them with information about their latest and greatest products. But that’s just not the AGS way. Instead, patrons at the third annual GameOn Customer Summit will hear… [continue reading]
Sports gambling ‘integrity fee’ supporters are not doing themselves any favors By Matt Bonesteel, The Washington Post • May 22, 2018 So-called “integrity fees” were a topic of conversation even before the Supreme Court ruled on May 14 that the federal law limiting sports gambling was unconstitutional. The NBA, in particular, seems to think it should get a cut of the… [continue reading]
‘All In:’ Essay collection adds valuable perspectives on gambling history By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • May 21, 2018 You wouldn’t be blamed for being out of breath. Keeping up with the history of legalized gambling is difficult on the best days. Lately, it’s been just about impossible. The United States Supreme Court’s decision last week to overturn a law… [continue reading]
Gambling Is Coming, So Get Ready to Hate Sports By Holman Jenkins, Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2018 New Jersey, one of the most impecunious states in the union, was behind this week’s Supreme Court ruling overturning a federal ban on sports gambling. Not sport fans or sport leagues: It was the work of a leading avatar of… [continue reading]
Almost all the recent post-PASPA sports betting developments in U.S. By Brett Smiley, SportsHandle • May 19, 2018 It’s been a pretty insane and exciting week in the sports betting world. In case you were napping for five days: the 1992 federal law PASPA that had banned full-fledged wagering outside Nevada is history. The Supreme Court ruled on… [continue reading]
The future of U.S. sports gambling might look like an evening I spent on an English main street By Chuck Culpepper, Washington Post • May 18, 2018 I began by wagering 10 British pounds sterling ($13.50) on a dog named Callums Secret in the 6:19 race of Wednesday evening down at Hove on the English Channel, choosing him from the six-dog field because the tip sheet claimed… [continue reading]
Next Steps on Sports Betting By Geoff Freeman, President, American Gaming Association • May 18, 2018 This was a momentous week for the gaming industry as the United States Supreme Court struck down the failed Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992. This victory would not have been possible without the commitment and leadership… [continue reading]
What Can the US Learn from European Sports Betting? By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • May 18, 2018 Given the seismic shakeup going on in the United States this week with regards to sports betting, it seems a fine time to take a detailed look at the state of sports betting in Europe and consider how our friends… [continue reading]
Come together: Consolidation is the name of the game By Andrew Tottenham, Managing Director, Tottenham & Co • May 18, 2018 The once-fragmented – and, hence, competitive – gaming sector has seen an increasing number of mergers and acquisitions in recent years, and the velocity has only increased in the last twelve months. The fever for consolidation started quietly a few… [continue reading]
Will legal sports gambling warp America? The elites may hope so By Chris Reed, San Diego Union-Tribune • May 17, 2018 In the early 1940s, two trailblazing discoveries were made in Chicago that continue to shape the modern world. On Dec. 2, 1942, scientists at the University of Chicago working on the U.S. government’s Manhattan Project created the first controlled, self-sustaining… [continue reading]
Atlantic City Pushes the Restart Button By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • May 16, 2018 On May 26th, Resorts, the first casino in Atlantic City, will celebrate its 40th anniversary. As if to celebrate that event, two new casinos are scheduled to open on June 26th. Actually they are not new casinos, rather reincarnations of… [continue reading]
UK Bookmakers Eye US Markets in Wake of Supreme Court Decision By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • May 16, 2018 The news from across the pond of the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the ban on sports betting has been a shot in the arm for UK bookmakers, just judging by the numbers alone. Their share prices boomed overnight… [continue reading]
Note to Pro Leagues: No One Wants to Pay You By Jill R. Dorson, SportsHandle • May 16, 2018 America’s pro leagues are so transparent. Over the last year, it’s been clear that the leagues are generally, at least publicly, not in favor of sports betting. They have claimed again and again that it may impair their games while… [continue reading]
Spectrum leader: Casinos should be out front on tax rates By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • May 16, 2018 For those of you who are unfamiliar with the phrase, calling a U.S. political issue “third rail” means that the issue is so controversial that it is essentially untouchable — that any public official raising the topic is likely to… [continue reading]
A new frontier and legitimacy for sports betting By Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press • May 15, 2018 LAS VEGAS (AP) – Jimmy Vaccaro has seen just about everything in 40 years of taking money behind the counter at sports books in this gambling city. Until Monday. He had never seen a day like this. Sports betting is… [continue reading]
In-Depth Legal Analysis: SCOTUS Sports Betting Ruling By Sara Slane, American Gaming Association • May 14, 2018 Thanks to those who were able to join our call on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) earlier this afternoon. An in-depth legal analysis on the Court’s ruling is available here. See an excerpt below: This… [continue reading]
SCOTUS punts PASPA: The parlay party of sports betting legalization begins By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • May 14, 2018 Monday’s decision by the United States Supreme Court to overturn the federal ban on sports betting should set off a celebration in the highest offices of Gaming Inc. that makes the Mardi Gras look like a church picnic. It wasn’t… [continue reading]
Sports Betting Is a Victory for States’ Rights By Noah Feldman, Bloomberg • May 14, 2018 In an important states’-rights decision announced Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed New Jersey to permit sports gambling, both by private casinos and through state-run lotteries. The case, Murphy v. NCAA, has important constitutional consequences – and could have… [continue reading]
AGA Applauds Supreme Court Decision to End the Sports Betting Ban By Geoff Freeman, President, American Gaming Association • May 14, 2018 The Supreme Court has struck down the federal law prohibiting states from authorizing or licensing sports betting. The Court announced its 6-3 ruling today in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, the challenge to the federal Professional and Amateur Sports… [continue reading]
Colorful Icahn casino era in Atlantic City not quite over By Press of Atlantic City - Editorial • May 13, 2018 With the sale of the thriving Tropicana Atlantic City to Eldorado Resorts and a real estate trust, investor Carl Icahn appears to be ending nearly two decades of involvement in the city’s gambling industry. It has been quite a show…. [continue reading]
If the U.S. Supreme Court lets states legalize sports betting, media might make a wager By Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune • May 12, 2018 Keep an eye on the line. There’s potential action in the uncertainty. The U.S. Supreme Court could strike down federal restrictions on sports wagering outside of Nevada, and a decision in New Jersey’s suit against the NCAA might come down as soon… [continue reading]
Norway To Block Domains of International Operators By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • May 11, 2018 Notwithstanding opposition within the government itself, Norway’s parliament approved a set of new measures and regulations concerning gambling on Monday May 7th, which had been proposed back in April by a coalition of opposition parties. None of these laws make… [continue reading]
Are Georgia casinos worth a gamble for education? By George Mathis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution • May 10, 2018 Other than my daily commute on I-285, I’m not fond of gambling. Or am I? I buy a lottery ticket every week. For $2, it’s a cheap source of hope. The Georgia Lottery provides a more practical type of HOPE… [continue reading]
Macau is becoming a Rest Stop on the Great Silk Road By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • May 10, 2018 It is earnings season again and the casino reports from Macau are good. Wynn, Sands, MGM, SJM and Melco all reported double digit increases in revenues and profits for the first quarter. The total gaming win for the city was… [continue reading]
What happens if New Jersey loses the Supreme Court sports betting case? By Brett Smiley, SportsHandle.com • May 9, 2018 The prevailing belief is that the United States Supreme Court — sometime before the end of its term in June — will rule in favor of New Jersey and eliminate Congress’ 1992 law banning full-fledged sports wagering outside Nevada. The… [continue reading]
Mississippi’s gambling story unfolds as Gaming Hall of Fame inducts initial group By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • May 8, 2018 A legislator persuades his peers to follow Nevada and New Jersey in legalizing gambling in Mississippi. Developers use their knowledge to construct gaming facilities that will attract visitors for the long haul. Executives with Las Vegas experience see the value… [continue reading]
Place your bets on Japan’s great casino investment narrative By Leo Lewis, Financial Times • May 8, 2018 For nearly two decades from the mid-1990s, Tokyo-listed Tanseisha was more or less dead to investors. Who, in a land of deflation and downsizing, would bet on a specialist designer of museums, trade shows, luxury hotels and high-end boutiques? Since… [continue reading]
Why excessive tax is no solution to Kenya’s gambling problem By Toddy Thairu, Business Daily • May 8, 2018 It is barely four months after the coming into force of the 35 per cent tax on gaming revenue, and the Treasury is proposing new tax changes in the gambling industry. This is through the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018… [continue reading]
It’s time to rethink Vegas By Nikki Ekstein and Kate Krader, Bloomberg • May 8, 2018 The Las Vegas you know and love (or hate) is in the midst of a reinvention. More than $5 billion worth of construction investment has poured into “Sin City” recently-resulting in such flashy ribbon-cuttings as the $375 million T-Mobile arena… [continue reading]
Why Japan’s gamble on casinos and Chinese tourists won’t fix its ‘tourism pollution’ problem By Mercedes Hutton, South China Morning Post • May 8, 2018 Japan has a problem with pollution, and it does not relate to issues of waste disposal. Rather, the rising numbers of visitors from afar have led to tourists themselves being viewed as pollutants, according to a May 5 article in… [continue reading]
Good vibrations: It’s time to market inspirational speakers in the casino-resort industry By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • May 7, 2018 It came from an unlikely place, but I take inspiration wherever I find it. And earlier this month I found it in abundance in the gymnasium at Pahrump Valley High School approximately 60 miles from the lights of the Las… [continue reading]
The changing patterns in casino and gambling By Carmen N. Pedrosa, The Philippine Star • May 6, 2018 I was in Macau recently to look at the premises of Galaxy. Since there are different interpretations of what it is I feel obliged to give an eyewitness report. The Galaxy Macau is hardly a billionaires’ playground. It is a… [continue reading]
Relax, you’re in Las Vegas By Juliet Pennington, Boston Globe • May 6, 2018 For many people, being suspended 550 feet off the ground in a glass-enclosed pod would produce a state of panic, but for me it brought on a state of zen. Of course, the soothing music being piped into my headset… [continue reading]
Team Trump Aided Harbinger Founder Falcone’s Vietnam Casino — And That’s Normal By Muhammad Cohen, Forbes • May 4, 2018 Investigative journalism group ProPublica reports links between Donald Trump and Philip Falcone, principal owner of The Grand- Ho Tram casino resort in Vietnam, two hours south of commercial capital Ho Chi Minh City. The story suggests that the Trump administration… [continue reading]
The Gambling Compliance Global Regulatory Awards Ceremony, and Why It Matters By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • May 3, 2018 Gambling Compliance landed a great representative from the gaming world to present the awards at their second Global Regulatory Awards Ceremony in April, that being poker’s (and the BBC’s, and the Observer’s) Victoria Coren Mitchell, who is perhaps most famous… [continue reading]
FOBTs: where on Earth did they come from? And why? By Andrew Tottenham, Managing Director, Tottenham & Co • May 3, 2018 As most of you may know, the long-awaited decision on whether to cut the maximum bet on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) has been pushed back again. Some of you, though, may well be asking: what, exactly, are these FOBTs,… [continue reading]
Pachinko: Japan’s Unlucky Loser By Muhammad Cohen, Inside Asian Gaming • May 2, 2018 Japan won’t open its first integrated resort for years, if ever, but the IRs already have their first loser, the country’s unique and ubiquitous pachinko business. Pachinko has become the target of efforts to combat problem gambling. That’s kicking an… [continue reading]
Chalk up another victory for both Disney and the Seminoles By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • May 1, 2018 The titan of Florida tourism and the titan of Florida gambling just notched another victory. The collective muscle of Disney and the Seminole Tribe of Florida again proved too strong for those lobbying for casino expansion in the Sunshine State…. [continue reading]
Caesars in Dubai: A Camel’s Nose under the Tent? By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • May 1, 2018 Eldorado Resorts, Boyd and Penn National are extending their footprints across the nation at every new opportunity. But for the next tier up, the mega-casino companies – Caesars, Wynn, Sands and MGM – there are not enough of those opportunities… [continue reading]
Battle-scarred Wynn Resorts tries to keep its chin up and move forward By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • April 30, 2018 It’s a question many in the gaming industry must be asking, if only privately: Given the tumultuous start of 2018, how does the troubled powerhouse Wynn Resorts keep focused on the business at hand? The departure of its co-founder and… [continue reading]
The FOBT Hubbub Rolls On By Luke Haward, CDC Gaming Reports • April 30, 2018 The national press in the UK have been all over the FOBT news for a good long while now, but the furore amped up this week, with a lot of back and forth coverage. First, there was news of a… [continue reading]
Will Mississippi have sports wagering in casinos by football season? Don’t bet against it By Geoff Pender, The Clarion-Ledger • April 29, 2018 While state leaders continue their decades-old hemming and hawing over a lottery, folks could be legally betting on sports and horse racing in Mississippi casinos by this coming football season. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule as early… [continue reading]
With the Supreme Court’s pending sports gambling decision, states are already prepping for legalization By Jennifer Roberts, UNLV • April 27, 2018 The gambling world is waiting with bated breath for the United States Supreme Court decision that could result in an expansion of sports betting. The decision could be announced anytime between today and the end of June. Since I teach… [continue reading]
The Derby’s just around the corner. How lucky are you? By Bernard Kroviak, CDC Gaming Reports • April 27, 2018 Luck is broadly defined as “the experience of notable positive, negative, or improbable events… occurring through chance rather than one’s own actions.” These events seem to happen all the time in one’s life, and they can be random or non-random…. [continue reading]
Eldorado Resorts is on the Move Again By Ken Adams, CDC Gaming Reports • April 25, 2018 In one day in April, Eldorado Resorts Inc added eight casinos to its portfolio; seven came from buying Carl Icahn’s Tropicana Company and the other, a casino in Illinois purchased from Caesars. Those purchases are the latest move in the… [continue reading]
Knights’ ‘crazy’ entertainment works — especially when winning By John Katsilometes, Las Vegas Review-Journal • April 25, 2018 On Tuesday morning I went to a Golden Knights practice and a Vegas variety show broke out. Luxor prop master Carrot Top, members of Cirque du Soleil productions (I believe I spied a Spermato from “Mystere”), drumming legend Vinnie Paul… [continue reading]
Gambling provides income, but what about Native Americans’ health? By Nick Sortal, CDC Gaming Reports • April 25, 2018 “I auditioned for that TV show ‘Survivor,’ but they rejected me,” comic Larry Omaha began. “When I told them I grew up on an Indian reservation, they said I had too much experience.” For many, casino revenues have ended a… [continue reading]
‘The Gambler’ reminds us Kerkorian was a one-of-a-kind casino king By John L. Smith, CDC Gaming Reports • April 23, 2018 A few pages into William C. Rempel’s informative and entertaining new biography of the late casino king Kirk Kerkorian, you might find yourself wondering if such a success story would even be possible in today’s gaming industry. In a business… [continue reading]
Is Eldorado Resorts Expanding Too Fast? By Rich Duprey, The Motley Fool • April 23, 2018 Billionaire investor Carl Icahn is all but exiting the casino industry, selling his stake in Tropicana Entertainment for $1.85 billion. But maybe Eldorado Resorts — which will operate the properties bought by real estate investment trust Gaming & Leisure Properties … [continue reading]
Industry, Academics and Advocates Unite to Launch Responsible Gaming Collaborative By Geoff Freeman, President, American Gaming Association • April 23, 2018 The American Gaming Association (AGA) recently convened leading gaming industry organizations, academic professionals and advocacy groups to chart a new course on the complex issue of responsible gaming. The Responsible Gaming Collaborative will identify the programs and policies that best… [continue reading]
Steve Wynn isn’t out of the woods with gaming regulators By Richard N. Velotta, Las Vegas Review-Journal • April 22, 2018 Just because Steve Wynn has stepped down from his leadership positions at Wynn Resorts Ltd., has sold all the shares he owned in the company and settled legal differences with his ex-wife, Elaine, don’t think for a minute that gaming… [continue reading]
NBA, MLB actually had the ‘balls’ to ask New Jersey for sports betting tax By Brett Smiley, SportsHandle.com • April 21, 2018 This is one so rich with irony I’m having a difficult time staying seated. Proving that they are beyond shame when it comes to sports betting, the NBA and MLB engaged New Jersey officials in recent months to discuss how… [continue reading]
