Everything about casinos, lotteries, racetracks, and other gambling businesses: news, design, and corporate intrigue.
Most casinos strongly encourage players to use their loyalty cards when gambling. From the casino’s perspective, it allows them to track play and award comps more judiciously. Players just like getting free stuff. But sometimes they go too far. From the LVRJ: It turns out there is some money that casinos don’t want. A Los […]
Incentivized criminals Read More »
news about gamblingI’m going to be teaching in Reno next semester, and from judging from this article I should feel right at home. From the RGJ: The gaming industry is soaring worldwide but not in Reno, a leading gaming analyst told a group of young Reno business leaders Wednesday. “This is an $85 billion industry (annually in
Reno, pedestrian Reno Read More »
news about gamblingFirst off, I’d like to apologize to all my readers for not posting yesterday. I was in Reno for spring training. If you haven’t heard about Michael Vick’s statement to the public, that won’t be funny at all, but trust me, it’s funny. At least to me. I didn’t get a chance to visit my
Peppermill topping off Read More »
news about gamblingMost people are attracted to slots because there is no skill involved in playing them, so you can never feel stupid for making the wrong decision. But that might be changing soon–the skill part, not the feeling stupid part. From the LV Sun: Pong, the game that turned pinball wizards into video-game junkies in the
There used to be a time when people who didn’t like their jobs (and, let’s face it, who does like their job?) could only vent to co-workers and their friends and family outside the job. The former usually agreed and added their own gripes, while the latter were politely bored to death by hearing long,
Blogging about your workplace Read More »
news about gamblingThis isn’t a huge story but it’s not often that I can blog on what was once my favorite Gulf Coast casino. From the Sun-Herald: Treasure Bay casino, once known for its pirate ship facade, opened a new casino floor and a buffet on Monday in the hotel across the street that has been its
Treasure Bay expands Read More »
news about gamblingInteresting summary of the current state of Macau from Fortune, via CNN: Hunter S. Thompson would have found much to fear and loathe in Macau, the former Portuguese colony rebranding itself as a gambling paradise. The good doctor (rest his soul) would have been vexed to discover that Macau, surrounded by water and crowded immigration
Channel 8 KLAS-TV has an exclusive look inside slot machines: Las Vegas has more than 207,500 slot machines. Anyone living here or visiting has seen the outside of them, but few people actually see the inside… until now. Reporter Edward Lawrence gives us an exclusive inside look at how slot machines are built and what
Inside slot machines Read More »
news about gamblingAccording to an Australian judge, casinos should be sure where the customers’ money comes from. From NineMSN: Crown Casino should either ensure money from big spenders is legitimate or be forced to compensate victims of crime for ill-gotten gains gambled by criminals, a Victorian judge says. County Court Judge Frank Dyett made the remarks as
Casinos liable for criminal customers? Read More »
news about gamblingBoyd Gaming broke ground on Echelon Place today. Here’s the AP story, but I’ll cut and paste some stuff from two press releases I go this morning. First up: the Delano and Mondrian: Morgans Hotel Group Co. and Boyd Gaming Corporation today announced their development and design plans for the new Mondrian and Delano hotels
Echelon groundbreaking Read More »
news about gamblingBecause I like the finance side so much, here’s a pretty bit story about a major gaming operator going private, from Bloomberg: Penn National Gaming Inc., the owner of 18 casinos and horse-racing tracks, agreed to be taken private by buyout firms Fortress Investment Group LLC and Centerbridge Partners LP for $6.1 billion. Penn National’s
Penn to go private Read More »
news about gamblingWhat’s the Atlantic City of the future going to look like? I think we have an inkling of an answer with this story from the Press: Atlantic City casinos may be opposed to competition at Bader Field, but the director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority told a Senate Committee on Thursday that the property
Online gamblers can breathe easy: Congress is now on the case. This Friday, a panel will discuss whether or not it is possible to regulate online gaming. From ABC: A U.S. House of Representatives panel said on Monday it will hold a hearing on Friday to look at Internet gambling, which is effectively banned in
Hearing on net gambling Read More »
news about gamblingIf you’ve got $1400 burning a hole in your pocket, want to know more about casino real estate, and don’t mind hanging out at the Venetian June 28 & 29, check out the Casino Real Estate conference. I’m on a panel at 8:40 in the morning: 8:40 THE CASINO REAL ESTATE MACRO DISCUSSION: IS IT
Real estate and casinos Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingThis fall Microsoft is going to apparently release a new device called Surface that will change computing. Interesting, but there’s a casino angle too. From MSNBC: The radical new approach starts with the guts of the device itself. Under the impact-resistant plastic top skin on an otherwise nondescript table hide five infrared scanners, a projector
There’s a nice interview in the LV Sun with Gamal Aziz of MGM Mirage: The latest annual report for MGM Mirage forgoes descriptions of casino floors in favor of haute cuisine, stage performances and museum pieces. And lest there be any remaining doubt about a new direction of the company, “Transformation” is printed boldly on
Non-gaming at MGM Mirage Read More »
news about gamblingThe huge news over the past 24 hours (as of 2 p.m.) is Kirk Kerkorian’s apparent big to buy the Bellagio and CityCenter from MGM Mirage. Here’s a NYT take: What is Kirk Kerkorian up to now? That is what industry observers, analysts and DealBook were left wondering after the 89-year-old billionaire financier said that
Kerkorian & MGM: big questions Read More »
life in vegas, news about gamblingAmong Trump properties, it is–it’s about three times the casino as the Marina and Plaza. From the AC Press: Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino or Trump Marina Hotel Casino, or both, probably would be demolished and redeveloped if the proposed sale of Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. is completed, they say. “Most comments heard from other
Instant racing’s been around since 2000, but it’s become a hot topic recently. With some states holding the line against slot machines, could these terminals allow tracks to become backdoor racinos? From the
Instant racing or slots in disguise? Read More »
news about gamblingThe long-rumored sale of the New Frontier to the Elad group has apparently gone through. Translation: the Frontier’s days are numbered, so if you want to ride the bull at Gilley’s, start making plans now. From the press release: New York-based Elad Group, owner of the iconic Plaza Hotel, has purchased the last available prime
New Frontier to New Plaza? Read More »
news about gambling