Tag: LAND BASED CASINOS

In the two weeks that sports betting has been legally active in Massachusetts, all three casinos that were approved to take sports wagers have violated the Commonwealth’s ban on in-state collegiate sports betting. 

Two casinos – Plainridge Park Casino and Encore Boston Harbor – were found in violation last week. MGM Springfield has now been found to have accepted wagers on two Harvard men’s basketball games, a 57-68 home loss to Yale on February 3, and a 65-68 home loss to Brown on February 4. 

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission said the violations, which initially occurred days after the market went live on January 31, appear to be small kinks for the commission, casinos and vendors to work out. 

Commissioner Nakisha Skinner said in a commission meeting on Tuesday: “We’ve had three of these now in a week and a half’s time. I don’t know what the volume is going to be, but certainly, as we are reviewing operator applications, we learned that these are relatively routine, and I’m not sure if we use the word routine, but they’re relatively routine matters.”

Plainridge Park Casino accepted bets on a Merrimack women’s basketball 76-59 home victory against Long Island University February 2. Thirty-three bets were placed, with most at the casino’s kiosks. Four wagers were made at the betting counter with a “writer” or teller. A total of $6,848 was wagered, with bettors winning $4,270.

According to Chief Enforcement Counsel Heather Hall the violation occurred because Kambi, a sportsbook vendor, “mistakenly assigned the participant school state for Merrimack College as Florida instead of Massachusetts.” 

The issue was resolved when a teller notified the casino, who then reported the violation to the commission.

In the past week, Plainridge Park Casino and Kambi have taken several “remedial measures” to verify the validity of future wagers. These include removing all un-approved schools from the vendor’s system and ensuring a manager signs off on daily bets.

Also on February 2, Encore Boston Harbor took bets on a Boston College women’s basketball 72-59 home loss to Notre Dame. Only one wager was placed, part of a five game parlay totaling $70, but the casino realized the error and canceled the unapproved money line parlay leg before it could be cashed. The better took home $23.

According to Hall, one of Encore’s vendors, GAN, “mistakenly omitted the NCAA women’s basketball from the prohibited wagers list.” Encore and GAN will begin to conduct twice daily audits on the list of Massachusetts schools participating in events as well as assign a dedicated auditor.

During the meeting, the commission discussed possibly holding a adjudicatory hearing to “set goalposts,” where the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau and operators could offer information that could potentially lead to future penalties.

Commissioner Jordan Maynard stated: “I want to set the goalposts with my fellow commissioners early on, and then see how it’s working. And I know that’s going to create a little bit more work on the front end, both for the commissioners and for the IEB … but I think later on, it’s gonna be very beneficial to the entire organization.”

Macau’s casinos saw gross gaming revenue of MOP $10.32 billion ($1.28 billion) in February, continuing the strong performance following the lifting of most border restrictions on 8 January. According to data released by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), the figure was 33.1% higher than the same month in 2022 when GGR was MOP$7.76 billion ($959 million). However, it was still 59% down from pre-pandemic levels.

Although slightly lower than January’s MOP$11.58 billion ($1.43 billion), February was not aided by the Chinese New Year holiday, which contributed to the three-year high in the previous month. Analysts had forecast the figure to be closer to MOP$9.5 billion (US$1.17 billion), making the current result higher than expected. For the first two months of the year combined, GGR is up 55.3% year-over-year to MOP$21.90 billion ($2.71 billion).

Canadian gaming operator Gateway Casinos and Entertainment has announced the relaunch of its loyalty rewards program, My Club Rewards. The updated program includes a new exclusive partnership with Baha Mar, a CAD 4.8 billion ($3.5 billion) integrated resort, casino and waterpark in Nassau, Bahamas.

“With 14 Gateway properties across Ontario, guests can now play and earn points at their local casino and redeem them for the finest rewards at Casino Rama Resort,” the company said in a statement. “Members can now access an unmatched level of experiences, including hotel stays, spa retreats, cruises, concerts, and more.”

Casino Rama Resort

Exclusive contests and special offers from Norwegian Cruise Line, PlayStudios and the NFL are available to MCR members as part of the relaunch, says Gateway. Also included is the new partnership with Baha Mar Resort in the Bahamas, which is home to three oceanfront hotels: Rosewood Baha Mar, SLS Baha Mar, and Grand Hyatt Baha Mar.

The destination offers the largest casino in the Caribbean, a Jack Nicklaus signature-designed golf course, a world-class racquet club, a full-service ESPA spa, a nature sanctuary, an explorers club for kids, an all-new luxury beachfront waterpark Baha Bay, and culinary concepts led by celebrity chefs such as Marcus Samuelsson and Daniel Boulud, points out a press statement.

“Gateway properties are entertainment destinations, and we’re here to provide our guests with once-in-a-lifetime experiences inside our properties and beyond. With great partners, like Baha Mar, our customers can enjoy luxury, sunny vacations, and so much more,” said Carrie Kormos, chief communications and marketing officer of Gateway Casinos.

“We are rewarding our customers for their loyalty by giving members an extensive selection of premium offerings to choose from and adding benefits that are hard to resist. Our partnership with Baha Mar is proof of that.”

Baha Mar Resort in Bahamas

The enhanced MCR program is set to work as a portal to the “Reward Life,” which Gateway describes as a connected ecosystem of benefits and rewards for its guests. There are five My Club Rewards tier levels — rewards, silver, gold, elite and ultra. Dependent on MCR tier status, members can enjoy exclusive discounts at Gateway’s signature restaurants.

MCR members can visit, play and collect points at any of Gateway’s 14 properties across Ontario. As points are collected, they can be redeemed for Resort Rewards and used for multiple amenities, including concerts, hotel stays and spa retreats at Casino Rama Resort. Gateway’s partnerships with Norwegian Cruise Line and Baha Mar give MCR members exclusive offers and contests as a benefit of their membership. 

“Baha Mar Casino is like no other, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking sparkling turquoise Bahamian water. It’s the largest and most luxurious casino in the Caribbean, designed for gaming of every level, from casual players to high-stakes rollers,” said Mark Juliano, EVP and chief gaming officer of Baha Mar.

The resort offers 18 different types of table games, over 1,000 slot machines, live sports betting by William Hill, and Nassau, “The Bahamas’ hottest dining and nightlife scenes, with over 45 restaurants, bars and lounges.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Gateway, as we share a strong synergy – both designed to provide our guests with world-class experiences and unforgettable moments to be made with family and friends,” added Juliano.

Pennsylvania’s Mount Airy Casino Resort is gearing up to celebrate the unofficial start of summer by hosting a series of kickoff bashes this upcoming Memorial Day Weekend.

The highlight of the weekend includes the official opening of Mount Airy’s luxury indoor/outdoor pool and entertainment complex on Saturday, May 27. The free event starts at 9 p.m. with live music performed by the Kira Krakovesky Duo. Guests can lounge poolside in a private cabana while enjoying refreshing cocktails or dine on the light fare on the 7,600 square-foot outdoor deck that boasts table-side fire pits and expansive views of the resort’s lake and golf course.

Mount Airy’s wide-ranging Memorial Weekend festivities will launch the day before on Friday, May 26, with CC Music headlining Mount Airy’s Summer Kick-Off in the resort’s newly opened Event Center starting at 9 p.m. Tickets for Friday’s event are $15 and can be purchased at MountAiryCasino.com. 

On Sunday, May 28, singer/songwriter Casey Walton will round out the Memorial Weekend festivities with a free performance from 8 to 11 p.m. on the casino floor. All guests at Mount Airy, including pool guests, must be 21 and older.

Ben Koff

Ben Koff, Mount Airy General Manager and Chief Operating Officer, said: “We’re excited to launch a strong summer season. In addition to our luxury pool complex, we look forward to welcoming guests to enjoy all that we have to offer, from premier gaming and first-class dining to luxury accommodations and exciting entertainment offerings.”

The summer months at Mount Airy will continue with a pair of popular stand-up comedy performances in July, including shows from Vic DiBitetto on July 8, and stand-up comedian Dave Attell on July 22.

Pennsylvania’s Mount Airy Casino Resort boasts nearly 1,700 slot machines, 80 table games and an all-new sportsbook. The resort also offers nearly 300 upscale guest rooms and luxury suites, complemented by over 20,000 square feet of convention center and ballroom space. 

After receiving approval from the Nevada Gaming Control Board earlier this month, Marriott International has now secured approval on Thursday from the Gaming Commission to open a “pop-up” casino that will exist for only eight hours on May 23, in a tent on a street corner near the Las Vegas Convention Center, at the former site of the The Beach nightclub, at Paradise Road and Convention Center Drive.  

The tent will open beginning at 6 a.m. and will feature 16 slot machines. It will be operated by Century Gaming Technologies subsidiary United Coin Machine (UCM). The pop-up casino will exist briefly, solely for the purpose of preserving a grandfathered gaming license acquired by the operator when it bought the 1.35-acre plot on which The Beach Nightclub once stood. This is the 10th time in 17 years that the temporary set-up of 16 slot machines is taking place.

Under state and Clark County regulations, a company must offer public gaming for at least eight hours in order to maintain a license. The county statute says that to maintain a grandfathered license, active gaming must occur at least once every 18 months, while the state restriction is to provide it every two years. Sixteen slots are the minimum permitted under these rules.

However, the Nevada Gaming Commission on Thursday told Marriott’s legal representative that preserving the license can’t go on indefinitely, and the company needs to move toward a definitive plan, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 

Dennis Neilander, an attorney representing Marriott, said the company has been stalled in its efforts to develop the property because of the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and the rough economy. He said Marriott could not give the status of negotiations with potential developers of the property because of a non-disclosure agreement.

Marriott operates around 1,000 rooms at five hotel properties in close proximity to the lot where The Beach once stood. Neilander said there is a plan to consolidate these properties into one resort across 16 acres, which would include the Beach site. But if the gaming license were to lapse, the land would lose value. 

Neilander said the company has been required to maintain its gaming license since The Beach closed in 2006. Marriott oversees hotels using its Marriott, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Renaissance, and Springhill Suites brands, all under Marriott’s control.

To celebrate two years in Las Vegas, Mohegan Casino Las Vegas inside Virgin Hotels, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, has teamed up with cruise line Virgin Voyages. The partnership aims at giving new Momentum Rewards Members the ability to play and earn a Virgin Voyages cruise on their first visit.

Joe Hasson, General Manager at Mohegan Casino Las Vegas, said: “We are always looking at new and unique ways to connect with our casino guests. This partnership with Virgin Voyages is truly a one-of-a-kind experience, and a first to Las Vegas experience.”

To kick off this partnership, Mohegan Casino Las Vegas and Virgin Voyages are giving away five free 7-night Mediterranean Cruises via Virgin Voyages cruises. The giveaway is free to enter with a Momentum account, and members can claim their drawing ticket through June 16-17 at the cashier’s cage. The giveaway will take place on June 17 at 8:00 PM on the casino floor, and interested members must be present to win.

Virgin Voyages was recently named the top recipient of Cruise Critic’s 2023 Cruisers’ Choice Awards, securing the No. 1 placement across all categories, a press release notes.

Jennifer Wengert, Director, Casino Strategy and Partnerships, said: “We’re thrilled to see this partnership come to life and have the opportunity to share the ship experience with casino guests, especially when we know there’s so much synergy between our brands.”

“From our adults-only offering and elevated backdrop to our commitment to incredible service, we see our beautiful lady ships as a seamless transition from the casino floor to playing on the high seas.”

Momentum is Mohegan’s rewards program. The more a guest plays, the faster they will elevate their ‘status level’, and the higher the status, the more benefits the guest will earn at the casino’s nearly 650 slot machines and 50 table games, remarks Mohegan.

Momentum members begin at Core status, then move up to Ignite, Leap, Ascend, and finally Soar. As casino guest moves up, they will enjoy additional access, perks, and personalized experiences throughout the entire resort in Las Vegas.

Crockfords Casino, which claims to be the UK’s oldest gaming venue, is at risk of shutting down. The casino’s owner, Malaysia’s Genting Group, has initiated a 30-day “consultation process” with its staff as it decides on the future of the 80 million pounds ($97 million) property, according to a report by Daily Mail.

Crockford’s was established in 1828 in Mayfair by a working-class fishmonger William Crockford, who later became one of the wealthiest self-made men in England. As per the report, the casino employs around 100 people who are now facing potential redundancy. The venue, best known for its exclusive clientele of aristocracy and royalty, could be closing its doors for good as London fails to attract high-end tourists.

Paul Willcock, president of Genting Casinos UK, in a statement to The Mail, said that Crockfords had been negatively impacted by “a combination of factors.” According to Willcock, London is at a “competitive disadvantage” compared with other international markets. He further pointed out that no decision would be made until the views of the casino’s staff members had been heard.

Willcock said: “We highly value our employees, and we are committed to our duty of care to them. None of our other casinos are affected in any way by this process and we will not be commenting further while this consultation is underway.”

In recent years, two high-end casinos in London, the Ritz Club and the Clermont, shut down owing to the lack of high rollers visiting the UK. John O’Reilly, the CEO of the UK’s biggest casino group, Grosvenor, in an earnings call last month, said that Middle Eastern high rollers, who have traditionally supplied London’s casinos with a stream of VIP revenues, were now choosing to visit Paris or Milan instead.

This is partly the result of the British government scrapping the duty-free system for foreign visitors, or ‘tourist tax’, which allowed them to regain the 20% sales tax, known as value-added tax (VAT), on items purchased while in the UK. The system ended in 2021 when the UK officially left the European Union. Additionally, London’s high-end casinos have also been affected by the Gambling Commission’s 2020 decision to ban gambling with credit cards.

Thousands of industry workers on Friday, 10:00 AM took to the Las Vegas Strip to picket in front of eight different casinos. Members of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, clad in red T-shirts took to Las Vegas Boulevard, and hoisted signs, chanting their demands for contracts.

Culinary Workers Union Local 226 is one of the largest and most prominent unions in the country. The workers demonstrated in front of properties amid ongoing contract negotiations between the union and MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Encore Resorts. This was the first time in nearly two decades that thousands of Culinary and Bartenders Union members picketed on Las Vegas Boulevard.  

📍Las Vegas Strip near @HorseshoeVegas @Bellagio @parisvegas @PHVegas

👤 What do we want?
✊🏽 Contract!
👤 When do we want it?
✊🏽 Now! #OneJobShouldBeEnough

CC: @MGMResortsIntl @parkmgm @NYNYVegas / @CaesarsEnt @TheLINQ @HarrahsVegas @FlamingoVegas / @CaesarsEnt pic.twitter.com/9O5ANTglx5

— Culinary Union (@Culinary226) October 13, 2023

As per the Vegas Eater, the Culinary Union represents 60,000 workers across Nevada, out of which 53,000 members are based in Las Vegas and are in active negotiations with casino and hotel employers for a new five-year contract. As of September 15th, roughly 40,000 workers are working under an expired contract. 

📸 Photos from the picket lines across the Las Vegas Strip are now up!

🪧 ICYMI: Thousands of hospitality workers picketed 8 different @MGMResortsIntl & @CaesarsEnt casinos as workers fight for a new 5-year contract and so that #OneJobShouldBeEnough!https://t.co/VRT8LqMsp0 pic.twitter.com/F10OwOaOhL

— Culinary Union (@Culinary226) October 13, 2023

Last month, the union members voted to authorize a strike that could impact 22 casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. As per the report, the union is not currently on strike, and the picket lines are intended to pressure the casinos into approving new five-year contracts that would include provisions such as pay increases, reduced workloads for housekeeping workers, expanded safety measures, health care, and job security in case of another pandemic or economic crisis. 

The move to authorize a strike means that bartenders, cooks, cocktail and food servers, guest room attendants, porters, bellmen, laundry, and kitchen workers statewide could hit the picket line or strike at any time.

📍@TheLINQ

🎤 Who’s got the power?
👥 We got the power!
🎤 What kind of power?
💪🏽 Union power!
🎤 What kind of power?
💪🏽 Union power! #OneJobShouldBeEnough pic.twitter.com/5Gkih6exJ1

— Culinary Union (@Culinary226) October 13, 2023

The recent demonstrations were planned for the sidewalks in front of the LINQ Hotel + Experience, Paris Las Vegas, Park MGM Las Vegas, Harrah’s, Flamingo Las Vegas, Horseshoe Las Vegas, Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort & Casino, and New York-New York Hotel & Casino. 

📊 You made your record profits
💵 We want our record contract! #OneJobShouldBeEnough
CC: @MGMResortsIntl @parkmgm @NYNYVegas / @CaesarsEnt @TheLINQ @HarrahsVegas @FlamingoVegas / @CaesarsEnt @ParisVegas @HorseshoeVegas @PHVegas pic.twitter.com/MFZ9QzLXAD

— Culinary Union (@Culinary226) October 13, 2023

The protests come ahead of the Formula 1 Grand Prix, which is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors and more than a billion dollars in revenue. The Culinary Union issued a statement urging members of the public, customers, community allies, elected officials, and convention planners to not cross an active picket line and to stand in solidarity with workers by not eating, meeting, or staying in a casino resort during an active picket line.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) has revealed the latest data for state revenue generated from legalized gambling. While revenue from casino gaming is falling, sports wagering revenue is on the rise in the Fiscal Year 2024 (July 1st, 2023 – June 30th, 2024). 

For the first four months of Fiscal Year 2024 (July 1-October 31, 2023), Iowa received $105.2 million in casino gaming taxes, a decline of $5.9 million over the same period in Fiscal Year 2023. 

In October 2023, Iowa collected $26.7 million in casino gaming taxes, a reduction of $2.3 million from what it collected in the comparable month in 2022 when the state saw casino gaming tax revenue of $29 million.

According to the Storm Lake Times Pilot, the drops aren’t unexpected. At its October meeting, the Revenue Estimating Conference projected that gaming tax revenue for Iowa in Fiscal Year 2024 will come in at $318.5 million. This would be a $24 million decline from the previous year.

The adjusted gaming revenue (AGR) that the state’s casinos generated from slots, table games, and poker in October was $136.31 million. The figure is a reduction of 5.50% compared to September’s $144 million and a 6.48% yearly drop.

Both major casino categories recorded a decline in revenue in October. While the revenue from slot machines was recorded at $123.55 million, a monthly decline of 4.52% from $129.40 million, table game revenue for the month was $12.76 million, a monthly decrease of 14.04% from September’s $14.84 million. 

Sports betting revenue up

Sports betting numbers were on the rise in Iowa throughout October. For sports wagering taxes, the state received $1.6 million the last month. This is $340,000 higher than what the state collected in October 2022, or a 26.40% increase.

Sports wagering tax for the first four months of Fiscal Year 2024 in Iowa was recorded at $4.9 million. This is $150,000 higher than what the state collected at the start of Fiscal Year 2023.

The state’s sports betting handle in October was $255.29 million, with the maximum sports betting action being generated from mobile bets. While $231.79 million was gambled through online sportsbooks, only $23.50 million of the betting handle came in through retail sportsbooks. 

The total handle figure represents a 6.91% yearly increase from October 2022 and a 3.88% monthly rise compared to September’s $245.76 million.

International Game Technology (IGT) announced Wednesday that its Wheel of Fortune and Powerbucks slots awarded three million-dollar-plus jackpots in the month of December. 

• On December 8, an online Powerbucks slots player won CAD 1 million playing Wheel of Fortune Latin Getaways in Ontario, Canada.
• On December 15, an online Powerbucks slots player won CAD 2.1 million, the second-largest jackpot in the history of the product, playing Wheel of Fortune Shimmering Sapphires in British Columbia, Canada. 
• Finally, on December 31, a Wheel of Fortune slots player won $1.1 million playing Wheel of Fortune 4D at the Three Rivers Casino Resort in Florence, Oregon. 

IGT Powerbucks slots have paid 44 jackpots of $1 million or more since their Canadian debut in 2016, says the company. Wheel of Fortune slots have minted over 1,100 millionaires and awarded over $3.4 billion in jackpots since their launch in 1996. IGT’s Wheel of Fortune awarded two $1 million+ jackpots in November.

The Wheel of Fortune slot is inspired by the popular Wheel of Fortune TV program, which reaches more than 25 million weekly viewers. Trademarked as America’s Game, it has earned seven Emmy Awards including a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show.

The monthly Wheel of Fortune report marks one of IGT’s first announcements in the new year. This January, IGT also reported that its IGT PlaySports technology is now live in Ohio.

Through an agreement with Green Bear Gaming Development, operating as UBetOhio, IGT’s PlaySports QuickBet Kiosks have been deployed at restaurants and bars across the state. The company also plans to deliver its PlaySports Pads in the coming months.