Everything about casinos, lotteries, racetracks, and other gambling businesses: news, design, and corporate intrigue.
Yesterday I wrote a bit about the numbers behind the proposed mini-casinos considered for Atlantic City. Now, with news that Hard Rock is talking about spending $300 million to build a mini-casino, I thought I’d do a little number-crunching and learn if you’d be better off using that money to buy an existing property or […]
Comparison shopping in AC Read More »
atlantic city, news about gamblingWe’ve got our latest podcast up over at UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research: the Colloquium talk by our March 2010 Gaming Fellow, Pascale Nedelec, ” Urban Dynamics in the Las Vegas Valley: Casinos and Sprawl.” Here’s her abstract of the talk: Las Vegas is well known for its urban sprawl. While the casino industry has
New podcast up–locals casinos and urban growth Read More »
news about gambling, what's newHere are more details about the proposed regulatory changes in Atlantic City, which seem to make the tax process even more byzantine. Ah, I just wanted an excuse to use “byzantine” in a sentence. It’s one of those words that I don’t get to use enough. From Business Week: The new casinos would have to
Details of AC “overhaul” Read More »
atlantic city, news about gamblingOften, gamblers decide to pool their resources and share both the costs and the gains from their gambling. Lottery clubs are the best example of this. Sometimes, though, it ends badly, as in this Connecticut case. From the Boston Globe: For years, Theresa Sokaitis and Rose Bakaysa were the closest of siblings, whiling away long
Family feud over jackpot Read More »
gambling & culture, news about gamblingI’ve got a new column in the Las Vegas Business Press about that Arkansas casino nirvana, with some more exploration of a state without gaming regulation: Recent events in a state that's considering getting into the casino game have raised the question of casino regulation. Looking at intent and practice of regulation anew provides a
Casino regulation in context Read More »
news about gamblingIn case you were wondering, the former Sands site in Atlantic City continues to deteriorate. From the AC Press: The barren site overlooking the Boardwalk consists of little more than mounds of dirt and scruffy tufts of grass peeking through the soil. Intruders are kept out by a padlocked chain-link fence bearing a “No Trespassing”
Pinnacle Prairie update Read More »
atlantic city, news about gamblingI’ve posted a new report at the Center for Gaming Research website: a statistical breakdown of the evolution of Nevada baccarat, 1992-2010. Here’s my description: This chart shows the trajectory of Nevada baccarat since 1992. The total baccarat win and number of tables grown over the past eighteen years, both in absolute terms and as
Speaking of baccarat… Read More »
news about gambling, what's newNew Green Felt Journal in Vegas Seven: Baccarat first came to Las Vegas in the 1950s, but didn’t make much headway until the growth of high-end, international play in the 1970s. Caesars Palace and the Hilton led the way, and soon most casinos with any pretension to catering to high-rollers added the game. The game
Baccarat to the future at Vegas Seven Read More »
news about gambling, writingIt’s Thursday, so that means the latest Vegas Seven is hot off the presses–printing and digital. This week, I’ve got an article about gaming taverns–you know, those bars with slots in them that are ubiquitous in Las Vegas. Here’s the opening: From Irish pubs to Mexican cantinas, it seems that every culture puts its own
Gaming taverns in Vegas 7 Read More »
news about gamblingThe latest UNLV Gaming Podcast is up; it’s an interview with Aria Resort and Casino President and COO Bill McBeath. A Las Vegas native and UNLV alum, McBeath has had an interesting career, to say the least, and has worked for some of the biggest names in the business—Michael Gaughan, Steve Wynn, and Kirk Kerkorian.
New Podcast: interview with Bill McBeath Read More »
news about gambling, what's newThe good folks at the Nevada Gaming Control Board have released the January 2010 Nevada casino gaming stats. Here is my summary: Statewide 1. Baccarat continues to power the state’s card games, with its win increasing by about 12% over last year. This game has actually seen a net gain in the past 3 years–Nevada
January Nevada numbers analysis Read More »
news about gamblingHere’s my latest from the Las Vegas Business Press, in which I continue to deconstruct the popularity of pennies: When the year-end Nevada gaming revenue figures came out, two trends dominated the news: Gambling in general was down again in 2009, while baccarat play toward the end of the year showed a surprising spike. But
More about the year of the penny Read More »
news about gambling, writingInteresting article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch over the weekend about the evolution of Missouri’s casino blacklist: For years, the crimes that barred gamblers from Missouri casinos read like Mafia movie plots. Men with ties to Kansas City's notorious La Cosa Nostra ran illegal betting rings, threatened witnesses and skimmed money from Las Vegas casinos,
Evolution of MO blacklist Read More »
news about gamblingMy much-anticipated Green Felt Journal piece about casino tweeting–which inspired me to finally claim @unlvgaming and get to work–is out, in today’s Vegas Seven: Casinos are always looking for new ways to reach customers. So it’s no surprise that they’ve embraced Twitter, the popular social networking application that lets anyone tell the world, in 140
Latest GFJ: The Power of Twitter Read More »
news about gamblingIt just had a great talk with Bobby Baldwin about Aria for an article I’m writing for Vegas Seven about the first 100 days of CityCenter. Talking to people at the property and online, and having gotten too few bars there myself, one of the questions I asked him was about cell phone service. His
100% Aria cell service by end of March Read More »
news about gamblingHere are some reminders from the IRS about what to do with your gambling winnings and losses: # Gambling income includes – but is not limited to – winnings from lotteries, raffles, horse and dog races and casinos, as well as the fair market value of prizes such as cars, houses, trips or other noncash
Gambling tips from the IRS Read More »
news about gamblingThat’s the trajectory at Bill’s Lake Tahoe. From the LVRJ: Harrah’s sells Bill’s Lake Tahoe casino site It’s hard to say what Bill Harrah would have thought about this. On one hand, he was by no means shy around women–he was married seven times. On the other hand, he wanted Harrah’s Lake Tahoe to be,
From slots to strippers Read More »
news about gamblingBlack Gaming, which operates 3 casinos in Mesquite, Nevada, has declared bankruptcy. From the LVRJ: In statements last year, Black said the company was generating cash flow but was unable to manage its high amount of debt. Black, a longtime Las Vegas real estate developer, said the challenging economy of the past 24 months hurt
Bankruptcy in Mesquite Read More »
news about gamblingAt the “opening ceremonies” for Aria, U.S. Green Buildings Council CEO Rick Fedrizzi said that Aria was an example of what architecture should be, and that schoolchildren should be brought in to see the building for itself as an example of what the future would be. “Wow,” I thought, “Bringing kids to a casino to
Gambling Goes Mainstream | Global Gaming Business Magazine Read More »
news about gambling, writingThe Center for Gaming Research is rolling out a new feature: the Occasional Papers Series. Drawn mostly from research conducted by visiting fellows and UNLV students, this series is going to discuss research into gambling and related issues. The first paper is out: Seeking Value or Entertainment? The Evolution of Nevada Slot Hold, 1992-2009, and
Occasional Papers Series Read More »
news about gambling, what's new