That’s Penn National Gaming, not the school, though the school is just fine, as well, and as an alum I officially encourage all high schoolers with a record of academic excellence to consider Penn. But this is a note of appreciation for the gaming company, which is much larger than most people think, and which […]
Penn is cool with me Read More »
gambling & cultureSomeone else wants to buy Aztar. From Reuters: Casino operator Aztar Corp., which has been the target of a bidding war, said on Monday that it had received a buyout offer worth more than $1.69 billion from Columbia Entertainment and would enter into talks with the company. Aztar said Columbia Entertainment, the gaming affiliate of
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atlantic city, life in vegasPuggy Pearson was one of the true greats of the early World Series of Poker, and it’s sad to learn that he’s passed away. From the LV Sun: As the quintessential road gambler, cigar-chomping Puggy Pearson would take on anyone, anywhere, anytime and at almost any game you could wager on – providing he liked
I often explain the evolution of the casino floor by taking about slot machines. Once, players had to “buy” change from employees, then put quarters or tokens into slot machines. Then bill validators let players put cash directly into slots. Now, Ticket In Ticket Out (TITO) interfaces let players put in bills and get tickets,
Cashless gambling, The Next Generation Read More »
gambling & cultureHopefully, the third time will be the charm for the New Frontier’s redevelopment. I seem to recall plans for a San Francisco-themed casino and a London-themed casino in years past. From the LV Sun: As other casino operators announce plans to redevelop their older properties, New Frontier owner Phil Ruffin hasn’t had a lot to
Jazzing up the Strip Read More »
life in vegasAt first, I thought that this news story might be a parody of get-rich-quick schemes. But unfortunately, it looks to be authentic. Judge for yourself, from Frost Illustrated: “How do you get someone to change their mind about robbing someone, stealing someone’s identity or selling drugs for money?” asks S. Silas Patterson, author of the
Gambling your way out of prison? Read More »
gambling & culture, haphazard worldI couldn’t find any really riveting news items to post about, except this shocker: the Riviera’s announced sale might not go through. Those of you who have been following the Riv story know what an absolute surprise that is. I get the feeling that this isn’t going to end soon. With a dearth of news,
I’ve been having trouble accessing this site yesterday and today, so I guess everyone else has as well. To compensate (and because I thought this was interesting when I found it in the stack) I’m going to offer some free advice. And it’s not even from me, but nationally-recognized casino expert Henry Tamburin. His book
I’m posting unexpectedly late today, because my servers apparently had some problems. I’m glad I waited because I got some more info on the story of the day. In recent years, online gambling companies have become increasingly integrated with the rest of the business world. Several have their stocks traded publicly. Some buy iconic grilled
Monkey bars on Paradise? Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingTime passes pretty quickly in Las Vegas. Well, I guess in the objective sense it passes just as quickly as everywhere else (though relativity theory might say otherwise). But in this city, things get old fast. Here’s a small case in point: Doing some research for an article I’m writing about the evolution of Las
More about changing times Read More »
life in vegasIt seems like everyone wants a piece of Vegas. Well, at least everyone who likes casinos and tourism. Today, for example, I got a phone call from a woman in the Domincan Republic who wanted me to sell her casino carpet. Yes, despite the myriad admonishments on my contact page and elsewhere that I don’t
What happens in Kapchagai Read More »
gambling & cultureThe nation of Antigua is understandably chagrined that the United States government has not come into compliance with the World Trade Organization’s ruling on its Internet gaming case. I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t break all this down. But here’s the press release from Antigua’s PR firm: The deadline passed today for the US
Sanctions against the US? Read More »
news about gamblingFor years, Aztar was something of a dark horse among casino companies. While the companies that have become MGM MIRAGE and Harrah’s got most of the headlines (with justification), Aztar quietly kept the Tropicana on the Strip open, continually expanded the one in Atlantic City, and owned three other casinos that rarely get into the
Everyone wants Aztar Read More »
news about gamblingI thought that earth-shaking explosions were a thing of the past for Las Vegas–there haven’t been any nuclear detonations at the Nevada Test Site since 1992 (according to the LV Sun, anyway), and above-ground testing stopped way before that. And it’s not as if the federal government is detonating a weapon of mass destruction a
Vegas is the bomb, again! Read More »
life in vegasHypocrisy regarding gambling is nothing new–as a historical phenomenon, it’s a few thousand years old. But people and organizations keep finding new ways to contradict their stated principles in search of a buck. Don’t believe me? Ask the Boston Globe: Red Sox fans who play the state lottery now have a chance at the ultimate
Baseball embraces gambling Read More »
gambling & cultureit’s been a while since I looked at the amazon.com page for Cutting the Wire. According to something called the Fog Index, it’s pretty hard to read–only 6% of books are harder. But at 5,247 words per dollar, it’s a huge bargain. I also manage to use the word “gaming” 724 times, and “fight” 61
It’s an exciting time to be a buffet devotee in Las Vegas, that’s for sure. First, VegasResource has revealed its list of the Top 20 buffets in town. I wish more people were as honest with their titles as “billhere” of VR: THE TOP 20 BUFFETS IN LAS VEGAS, IN MY OPINION, ARE: 1. Wynn
More about more food Read More »
life in vegasDoing my job at the Center for Gaming Research, I run across all sorts of interesting facts. For example, take this gem, pulled from the 1979 Form 10-K for Golden Nugget, Inc.: The Registrant’s hotel provides luxury accomodations and facilities. Management emphasizes courtesy and service to its customers and attempts to maintain a high standard
A look at the past Read More »
news about gamblingI’ve been out of the office for two days, so of course my inbox is filled with all sorts of campus announcements including, for some reason, a blatant advertising for the DaVinci Code. And then there’s this: Could the next “Apprentice†also be a Rebel? Find out… when NBC brings the search for Donald Trump’s
Apprentice opportunity Read More »
life in vegasI saw something really neat on the news yesterday, and I just knew I had to share it with the assortment of regular readers, online gamblers, and people looking to buy casino carpet who visit my site. This story is covered virtually everywhere, but I particularly like First Coast News‘s package, which includes audio: Piper