Category Archives: Maine

Bellagio bargain?; Shame on Maine; Trump seen slumming

Yup, it’s true. Blackstone Group is shopping the real estate assets of Bellagio as it draws down its Las Vegas Strip exposure. At least one Wall Street analyst thinks this would send a signal to the REIT industry that Strip … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Conventions, Cosmopolitan, Cretins, Donald Trump, Entertainment, history, Law enforcement, Maine, MGM Resorts International, Real Estate, Regulation, Seminole Tribe, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Rio, The Strip, Wall Street | Comments Off on Bellagio bargain?; Shame on Maine; Trump seen slumming

Atlantic City doldrums; Black Tuesday; Culinary wins one

Our man in Atlantic City has posted a flurry of dispatches, mainly concerning his new stomping ground, Harrah’s Resort. What you see above is the indoor pool, which doubles as a nightclub. When last visited, there was a (short) line … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, Atlantic City, Bally, Caesars Entertainment, Cretins, Culinary Union, Dining, DraftKings, Economy, Election, Entertainment, Fanatics, Hard Rock International, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Palms, PointsBet, Politics, Regulation, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Strip, Virginia, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Pennsylvania up; Arizona blunder; Über-Mega-Jottings

At $277 million, Pennsylvania casinos were 2% higher in February than last year, although a 12% declivity from go-go 2019 is further indication of a slowing recovery in gaming. Then again, after having reached record altitudes last year, how much … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Century Casinos, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Dining, DraftKings, FanDuel, Greenwood Racing, Hard Rock International, Health, Internet gambling, Kansas, Kentucky, Lotteries, LVCVA, M Resort, Maine, MGM Resorts International, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Problem gambling, Real Estate, Regulation, Rush Street Gaming, Scientific Games, Slot routes, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tribal, Unite-Here, WInd Creek | Comments Off on Pennsylvania up; Arizona blunder; Über-Mega-Jottings

Sports betting backlash; Indiana, Missouri rebound

When we were penning the editor’s note for the February issue of Casino Life, we predicted that overkill in sports betting marketing was ripe to bring a backlash. But it happened sooner than we ever expected. Now we don’t know … Continue reading

Posted in AGA, Bally, Barstool Sports, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Century Casinos, DraftKings, FanDuel, Full House Resorts, Hard Rock International, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Marketing, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Penn National, PointsBet, Politics, Problem gambling, Regulation, Resorts World LV, Rush Street Gaming, Sports betting, The Strip | Comments Off on Sports betting backlash; Indiana, Missouri rebound

Solid finish in Atlantic City; Tough love elsewhere

Casinos closed out 2022 up 2% in December in Atlantic City. Before any gaming bosses start wringing their hands over higher costs, let it be known that this is 3% better than December 2019, before the latest collective-bargaining agreement. The … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Diversity, DraftKings, FanDuel, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock International, Health, Internet gambling, Macau, Maine, Marketing, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mohegan Sun, Ocean Resort, Palms, Regulation, Resorts World LV, Sports betting, The Strip | Comments Off on Solid finish in Atlantic City; Tough love elsewhere

Flamingo sale? Forget it!; Mega-Jottings

Caesars Entertainment formally took the Flamingo off the sale block yesterday, at least for the foreseeable future. CEO Tom Reeg cited ‘market conditions‘ (odd when the Las Vegas Strip keeps breaking records). There is also the complication that Vici Properties … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, Colorado, Conventions, Cretins, Dan Lee, Economy, Entertainment, Fontainebleau, Full House Resorts, Illinois, Indiana, Lake Las Vegas, Louisiana, Maine, Marketing, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, South Carolina, Sports betting, Station Casinos, The Rio, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, William Hill | 4 Comments

MGM beats forecast, makes overseas play; California controversy

According to Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli, the 1Q22 numbers for MGM Resorts International were “better than forecast” in Las Vegas and regionally, nor as bad as expected from Macao. Losses from BetMGM were worse than anticipated. Santarelli predicted cash … Continue reading

Posted in BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, California, Canada, Card rooms, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Downtown, DraftKings, Economy, Election, Entertainment, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, International, Internet gambling, Japan, Macau, Maine, MGM Resorts International, New York, Pennsylvania, Politics, Resorts World LV, Sports betting, Taxes, The Mob, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Tribal, Virginia, Wall Street | Comments Off on MGM beats forecast, makes overseas play; California controversy

Playing politics with gaming

Although the Indian Gaming Association trade show in sunny Anaheim is sucking all the wind out of casino news this week, there’s still movement happening, mostly in the state houses. Take the weird, hybrid sports-betting bill that just passed out … Continue reading

Posted in Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings, FanDuel, Japan, Maine, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Sports betting, Taxes, Texas, Tribal | Comments Off on Playing politics with gaming

Parx dethroned; Shreveport sleaze; Maine’s latest bet

Move over, Parx Casino, there’s a new leader in the Pennsylvania gaming market. That’d be Penn National‘s eponymous racino near Harrisburg. For the second month in a row it was tops in the Keystone State, banking $64 million, up 11.5% … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Australia, Bally, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, China, Churchill Downs, Cordish Co., Crown Resorts, DraftKings, FanDuel, Florida, Golden Nugget, Greenwood Racing, Health, Internet gambling, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Macau, Maine, MGM Resorts International, Michigan, Mohegan Sun, New Jersey, Peninsula Pacific, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Rush Street Gaming, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, Transportation, Tribal, Virginia, Wynn Resorts | Comments Off on Parx dethroned; Shreveport sleaze; Maine’s latest bet

Illinois slouches; Boyd, Churchill praised; DraftKings assessed

Not even Rivers Casino Des Plaines was spared the impact of Hard Rock Rockford, as the newbie helped take a 4.5% bite out of Rivers’ December casino revenues compared to 2019, for a Des Plaines gross of $43 million, still … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Bally, Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, California, Canada, Churchill Downs, Connecticut, Downtown Grand, DraftKings, Election, Florida, Full House Resorts, Hard Rock International, Health, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Iowa, Isle of Capri, Las Vegas Sands, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mattress Mack, MGM Resorts International, New York, Ohio, Penn National, Regulation, Singapore, Sports, Sports betting, Station Casinos, Taxes, Wall Street | Comments Off on Illinois slouches; Boyd, Churchill praised; DraftKings assessed

Resorts World a smash hit; Cranky Maine woman stiffs tribes

Some of us thought Nevada would never regain the giddy gambling heights of 2007. We were wrong. May was the best month in Silver State history, as casinos raked in $1.2 billion. (The previous high was in October 2007, on … Continue reading

Posted in Arizona, Atlantic City, BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Cordish Co., DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Genting, Health, Maine, Marketing, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Phil Ruffin, Politics, Racinos, Resorts World LV, Sahara, Sports, Sports betting, Tennessee, Tribal, Virginia, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Florida gets tag-teamed; Penn upbeat on 2021; Vegas room rates soar

This is how it’s done. Or supposed to be done. DraftKings and FanDuel are teaming to back a petition drive to legalize sports betting in Florida. Aimed at the November 2022 election ballot, the resolution would dedicate tax revenues from … Continue reading

Posted in Baseball, Caesars Entertainment, Canada, Colorado, Dining, DraftKings, Economy, Election, FanDuel, Hard Rock International, Las Vegas Sands, Law enforcement, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Oklahoma, Peninsula Pacific, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Problem gambling, Regulation, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Tribal, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 2 Comments

Penn survives bad quarter; Summer gaming recover possible

Penn National Gaming reported 4Q20 earnings today and they were down 23% from last year. Many reasons were cited, including lower consumer spending, casino closures in Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania, and new restrictions in Ohio and Maine. Oh yes, and … Continue reading

Posted in Barstool Sports, Cretins, Dining, Health, Illinois, Indiana, LVCVA, Maine, Michigan, Movies, New Jersey, Ohio, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Sports, Sports betting | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

“Be a good place to spread it. Gambling has killed more people and ruined more homes and destroyed more things in our society almost than liquor or pot or pornography. Gambling is wicked.”—Covid-19 super-spreader Rev. Todd Bell, responding to an … Continue reading

Posted in Cretins, Health, Maine | 1 Comment

Election special

Good news! The word “casino” is no longer toxic in politics. Why do we say that? Because Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D), a U.S. Senate aspirant, merely describes Sheldon & Miriam Adelson as “this billionaire couple” in a fundraising e-mail … Continue reading

Posted in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Donald Trump, Election, Georgia, Health, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, South Carolina, Sports, Sports betting | 1 Comment

“Extreme” pessimism in Las Vegas; The D pisses for safety

Writing off the 2Q20 results as “less than relevant,” JP Morgan analyst Joseph Greff was guardedly optimistic about Las Vegas Sands, even though management’s conference call “shed little light on the path of recovery in Macau SAR, Singapore or Las … Continue reading

Posted in China, Churchill Downs, Derek Stevens, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, Health, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 1 Comment

Cosmofusion; MGM Springfield wants new deal

There are some mighty mixed signals coming out of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The megaresort informed its thousands of employees that no layoffs are planned. However, it wrote the state that “The layoff and furloughs which began on or … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Derek Stevens, Downtown, Economy, Health, Louisiana, Macau, Maine, Massachusetts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Pansy Ho, Penn National, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, Stanley Ho, Tribal, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Upbeat at Churchill Downs

JP Morgan analysts met virtually with Churchill Downs brass, including CEO Bill Carstanjen. The news was good to great. First things first, the Kentucky Derby is expected to be run with spectators (CHDN execs are keeping an eye on what … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Churchill Downs, Dan Lee, Delaware, Dining, e-sports, Full House Resorts, Horseracing, Illinois, Kentucky, Macau, Maine, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Politics, Regulation, Rhode Island, Sports, Sports betting, Steven Witkoff, Taxes, The Strip, Twin River, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Boyd comes clean; Penn Nat’l “upbeat”

“Boyd Clean” has been unveiled by eponymous Boyd Gaming and while nothing in it will come as a shock, it shows the company has been closely following what other companies are doing in terms of safety precautions. You’ll receive a … Continue reading

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Cosmopolitan, Dining, Economy, FanDuel, Health, Illinois, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Penn National, Politics, Regulation, Resort fees, Sports betting, Wall Street | Comments Off on Boyd comes clean; Penn Nat’l “upbeat”

Boston buoys Wynn, Penn leans on Barstool

Wynn Resorts was one of three biggies to report 1Q20 results late last week and the Las Vegas Strip was the least of its problems. Wynn Las Vegas and Encore had net revenue of $324 million, down 19% from last … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic City, Caesars Entertainment, CityCenter, DraftKings, Economy, FanDuel, Florida, Golden Gaming, history, Illinois, Indiana, Internet gambling, Las Vegas Sands, Macau, Maine, Marketing, Maryland, Massachusetts, MGM Resorts International, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Slot routes, Sports, Sports betting, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street, Wynn Resorts | 3 Comments