War Horse Omaha Permanent Casino Opens
On Tuesday, War Horse Casino Omaha opened the doors to its permanent casino amid protests from the anti-gambling lobby, according to the Omaha World Herald. The new casino has 800 slot machines, 20 table games, and a new restaurant and bar. War Horse has plans to open a second phase in Omaha next April.
The casino is owned and operated by the Winnebago Tribe through its commercial arm, Ho-Chunk, Inc.
“It’s pretty surreal, we’ve been working on it for five years and to actually get to the point where you leave the planning and actually open the doors and let customers in, it’s pretty exciting,” said Ho-Chunk president Lance Morgan, according to KETV.
Minnesota Tribes Will Still be in Good Position Even if Walz Becomes VP
Minnesota’s tribes said Wednesday during “The New Normal” webinar that they believe they’ll still have support from the governor’s office even if Tim Walz becomes the U.S. vice president. Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris earlier this week announced Walz as her running mate.
Should Walz become VP, he would be replaced by current Lt. Governor, Peggy Flanagan, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. Minnesota lawmakers have been trying for five years to legalize sports betting, but have been unable to broker a deal between the tribes and two state racetracks. The expectation is that Flanagan would continue Walz’s policies and support of Indian Country.
“I would not expect a radical departure from Walz’s positions,” webinar host Victor Rocha said.
Allen to Get Lifetime Achievement Award
The East Coast Gaming Conference (ECGC) Tuesday announced that it is awarding Hard Rock International (HRI) chairman and Seminole Gaming CEO, Jim Allen, a lifetime achievement award. HRI is owned by Florida’s Seminole Tribe, and under Allen’s leadership, the company this year became the sole provider of digital sports betting in Florida. In addition, according to the press release, Allen has guided Seminole Gaming’s rise to become among the top integrated-resort companies with properties around the world. Allen also oversaw the Seminoles’ 2007 acquisition of HRI, the first acquisition of a gaming company by a U.S. tribe.
The ECGC has awarded six other lifetime achievement awards in its 28-year history. Among the other recipients is former New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Chief, David Rebuck. Allen will be honored at the ECGC event in April 2025 at the Hard Rock-Atlantic City.
Oklahoma Tribes’ Payment to State Up 5.6 Percent Over 2022
Oklahoma tribes contributed $202 million to the local economy in 2023, according to an annual report published by the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services, per the Southwest Ledger. Though Oklahoma’s tribes do not pay a gaming tax to the state, they are obligated by compact to pay an annual exclusivity fee. This year’s fees were up 5.6 percent over 2022. Tribes pay the state on a sliding scale on electronic games starting at 4 percent for the first $10 million in revenue, up to 6 percent for revenue over $20 million. Tribes pay a flat 10 percent on table-game revenue.
The Cherokee Nation, which operates 23 gambling locations, paid just over $74 million in fees, followed by the Choctaw Nation, which paid just over $45 million. The Choctaws have 22 locations. Oklahoma’s 33 tribes operate 136 gaming locations in the state.
Don’t Expect Colorado Tribal Lawsuit to Have Far-Reaching Effect
Last month, Colorado’s Southern Ute Tribe filed a lawsuit against the state claiming that it is being denied the right to offer digital sports betting. The tribe waited to file until after the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear a case that could have forced the Florida Seminoles to take down their Hard Rock Digital platform.
While that case likely has national implications, tribal gaming attorney Scott Crowell told PlayUSA that he doesn’t expect the Colorado lawsuit to have a ripple effect. Crowell says that Colorado-tribal compacts are so unique that whatever the decision in the case, it is unlikely to apply in other U.S. jurisdictions.
Foxwoods Opens New High-Limit Club
Connecticut’s Foxwoods Resort Casino has opened a new high-limit gaming area known as Club Newport. The 10,000-square-foot space features 35 high-limit tables, offering baccarat, blackjack, craps, roulette and multiple forms of pai gow.
Foxwoods CEO Jason Guyot told The Day that the “groundbreaking new space is designed to cater to our most distinguished guests.”
In other news …
Mohegan Gaming Wednesday announced Joseph J. Hassan as its new COO. Hassan has been the interim COO since April. He will oversee daily operations at Mohegan locations in the U.S., Canada, and Northern Asia. He will also be responsible for long- and short-term strategic planning.
The Beloit (Wis.) city council Monday approved a Ho-Chunk, Inc. casino that will be built in two phases, the Beloit Daily News reported. The property will include a casino, hotel, and conference center. Groundbreaking is expected this fall.
